CV Draughtsperson: Example and Template
This is what a convincing CV for Draughtspersons EFZ looks like in Switzerland - with specialisation, standards, project figures and CAD/BIM skills.
Currently 30 open Draughtsperson positions in Switzerland, across 8 cantons, 6 of them from the last 7 days. Gruner advertises the most.
CV example — two-page template
This template is editable straight away — or upload your existing CV and it is carried into this layout automatically.
Which qualification belongs on a Draughtsperson's CV?
Always state the EFZ with the exact specialisation - Architecture, Civil Engineering, Interior Design or Spatial Planning - as this determines which positions you are even considered for.
The occupation is officially called Draughtsperson EFZ and training is offered in four specialisations. So do not just write "Draughtsperson EFZ", but "Draughtsperson EFZ, specialisation Architecture" or Civil Engineering, Interior Design or Spatial Planning respectively. HR staff at an engineering firm are looking for someone who masters formwork and reinforcement plans; an architecture firm is looking for building permit and execution planning. Add the training company, vocational school and year of completion, and if the grades are good, the experience grade as well.
Further education is the strongest differentiating factor. Relevant qualifications include the Vocational Baccalaureate, the Certified Technician HF in Building Planning or Construction Technology, a Bachelor FH in Architecture or Civil Engineering, a CAS in Digital Construction, and courses in BIM coordination. Training as a Site Manager or further education in site management also signals that you want to take on responsibility beyond drawing. Place these qualifications clearly in the education section with institution and year.
If you obtained your qualification abroad, the CV should include a note on recognition by the SBFI or a certificate of equivalence. Also add your residence status, for example permit B, C or cross-border commuter permit G. This avoids follow-up questions and shows that you are familiar with Swiss practices.
How do I describe my professional experience as a Draughtsperson convincingly?
Structure each position according to the pattern of project type, phase, software and measurable result - types of plans and project sizes say more than lists of tasks.
Start with a brief context line about the firm: size, specialist area and type of projects, for example residential construction, public buildings, industrial or civil engineering. Then follow with three to four points with figures: number of apartments, floor areas in m2, construction sum in CHF, number of building permit applications or tonnes of reinforcing steel. Phrases like "creating plans" are interchangeable; "Working and detail plans 1:50 to 1:5 for 214 apartments, construction sum CHF 96 million" is concrete and verifiable.
Make it clear which SIA phases you have worked in. Preliminary design, building project, building permit procedure, tender, execution planning and execution require completely different skills. Anyone who independently compiles building permit applications, determines quantities according to eBKP-H or prepares NPK tenders should mention this explicitly. Equally important: which specialist planners you coordinated with - HVAC, electrical, building physics, structural engineering - and whether you took part in planning meetings.
Software does not belong in an anonymous list, but as part of your performance. State whether you worked in Revit, ArchiCAD, Allplan, Vectorworks or AutoCAD, whether you export models to IFC, carry out clash detection in Solibri, or maintain families and office standards. Knowledge of Messerli, Bau-Data, Rhino/Grasshopper or point cloud analysis are also sought-after additional arguments and justify a higher salary band - draughtspersons with BIM responsibility are often in the range of CHF 85'000 to CHF 105'000 depending on region and experience.
How long should the CV be and does it need a photo?
Two pages is the standard, and a professional portrait photo is still common in the Swiss construction industry - but the enclosed work sample is what really counts.
Keep the CV to a maximum of two pages, or one page if you have less than five years of experience. Start with a three-sentence profile, followed by professional experience with the most recent positions first, then education, further training, IT and language skills. A photo in business attire in the top right corner is common in Switzerland, but not mandatory; leave it out if you don't have a professional picture. Omit personal details such as marital status or religion.
A complete dossier includes a cover letter, CV, references, the EFZ and diplomas, and if necessary proof of work permit. Submit everything as a single PDF with a clean file name, for example "Application_Draughtsperson_Zimmerli.pdf", and keep the file size under 5 MB. Pay attention to Swiss conventions: CHF 85'000, date format 03/2020, "CV" and place names with the canton if the location is not well known.
The most important addition is a small plan folder or portfolio of two to four pages with anonymised examples: a floor plan, a section, a detail at 1:20 and a screenshot from the model. Clarify beforehand with your previous employer what you are allowed to show, and remove the client's name and addresses. Also mention in the CV your driving licence, mobility and willingness to visit construction sites - for firms with site management mandates, this is a concrete selection criterion.
Where Draughtsperson are hired in Switzerland
How the 30 open positions are spread across the cantons.
Figures as a table
| Canton | postings |
|---|---|
| Zürich | 6 |
| Zug | 4 |
| St. Gallen | 3 |
| Bern | 2 |
| Luzern | 2 |
| Aargau | 1 |
| Graubünden | 1 |
| Basel-Stadt | 1 |
Which languages the postings require
Of 24 postings that state a language — in brackets, those requiring professional level.
Figures as a table
| Language | postings |
|---|---|
| German | 24 (24) |
| English | 2 (0) |
| French | 1 (0) |
Who hires Draughtsperson in Switzerland
Employers with the most open positions. Staffing agencies are excluded.
Figures as a table
| Employer | postings |
|---|---|
| Gruner | 4 |
| WSP in Switzerland | 4 |
| ATP architects engineers | 3 |
| AFRY | 3 |
| CSD ENGINEERS | 3 |
| Basler & Hofmann | 2 |
Full-time or part-time?
How the positions are advertised.
Figures as a table
| Workload | postings |
|---|---|
| Vollzeit / plein temps | 29 |
The CV in full
To read through and reuse.
Marco Zimmerli
Draughtsperson EFZ, specialisation Architecture, CAS Digital Construction (BIM)
Draughtsperson EFZ specialising in Architecture with nine years of practical experience in residential construction, renovation of existing buildings and building extensions in the greater Zurich area. Focus on building permit and execution planning according to SIA 400 as well as model coordination in Revit with IFC exchange and clash detection in Solibri. Brings quantity surveying according to eBKP-H and NPK costing, and works closely with site management, building physics and specialist planners.
What sets me apart
Building permit applications that get approved: Knows the cantonal requirements for building permit dossiers (site plan, boundary setbacks, floor area ratio, landscaping and drainage plans) and delivers complete sets - 9 of 11 applications were approved without requests for additional information.
From CAD drawing to model coordination: Works not only in 2D: creates Revit models up to LOD 350, exports to IFC4 and carries out clash detection with Solibri and BIMcollab issues against HVAC and structural models.
Precision on detail in existing buildings: Surveying and plan derivation for renovations, connection details 1:20 to 1:5 for refurbishments with external insulation, verification of barrier-free access according to SIA 500 and coordination with the VKF fire protection concept.
Interface to costing and site management: Extracts quantities directly from the model, structures them according to eBKP-H (SN 506 511) and prepares NPK positions for tendering - resulting in robust cost estimates rather than estimated quantities.
Key achievements
Established office standard for Revit. 180 checked families, labelling and layer structure according to CAD guideline SIA 2014, and 12 plan templates created; plan production per floor reduced by around 25 percent.
Halved change orders on site. Resolved 340 conflicts through systematic clash detection before the start of execution; planning-related change orders in two residential construction projects fell by around CHF 120'000.
Significantly shortened approval time. Reduced average processing time from 14 to 9 weeks using a standardised building permit checklist and prior consultation with the building authority (11 applications, 2021-2024).
Experience
Architecture Administrator / Draughtsperson EFZ — Planwerk Nordhof AG, Winterthur, 03/2020 - present
Architecture firm with 28 employees, focus on residential construction and replacement new builds in the Canton of Zurich; consistent openBIM process in Revit.
- Created working, detail and execution plans (1:50 to 1:5) for 6 residential developments with 214 apartments and around 31'000 m2 GFA, construction sum over CHF 96 million.
- Prepared 11 building permit dossiers according to cantonal PBG and building procedure ordinance; 9 approvals without additional requests, average processing time reduced from 14 to 9 weeks.
- Coordinated clash detection in Solibri and resolved 340 conflicts with HVAC and structural systems before the start of execution, reducing change order volume by around CHF 120'000.
- Set up model-based quantity surveying according to eBKP-H for 8 projects, with deviation from final settlement volume under 4 percent.
Draughtsperson, Architecture specialisation — Atelier Seeblick Architektur GmbH, Zurich, 08/2016 - 02/2020
10-person firm for renovations, extensions and refurbishments of existing buildings; plan processing according to SIA 400 in ArchiCAD.
- Carried out surveys and measurements of 23 properties and converted them into as-built plans, achieving a model accuracy of ±2 cm.
- Created a detail catalogue with 85 reusable connection details; reduced execution planning effort by around 60 hours per project.
- Developed evidence of barrier-free access according to SIA 500 for 12 renovations, all projects approved without conditions from the specialist authority.
- Supported cost estimates from CHF 1.2 million to CHF 8.5 million with NPK positions and quantity extracts (14 projects).
Apprentice and Junior Draughtsperson EFZ — Bauteam Rhyfeld AG, Frauenfeld, 08/2012 - 07/2016
General planning firm with building construction and civil engineering divisions; basic training in AutoCAD and Allplan.
- Drew and updated over 400 plan sets at a scale of 1:200 to 1:20 for 30 projects, managed in the plan register according to SIA 400.
- Contributed to formwork and reinforcement plans for 3 industrial halls and reconciled reinforcement lists totalling 62 t of reinforcing steel.
- Completed apprenticeship EFZ with an experience grade of 5.3 and passed the qualification procedure on the first attempt.
Education
Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training EFZ, Draughtsperson, Architecture specialisation — Berufsfachschule Winterthur · 2016
Vocational Baccalaureate BM 2, Technology, Architecture, Life Sciences — Kantonale Berufsmaturitätsschule Winterthur · 2018
CAS, Digital Construction / BIM in Planning — Hochschule für Technik FHNW · 2022
BIM Coordination Fundamentals, buildingSMART Switzerland (2023) · Autodesk Revit Architecture Advanced, Certificate (2021) · Specialist Course on Barrier-Free Construction according to SIA 500 (2021) · Minergie Fundamentals Course for Planners (2023)