Your resume portrays you as a professional, and the right font choice guarantees that you have the best representation possible. Choosing the best font for your resume is the single easiest and most effective way to elevate the look of your resume or CV. Try to get too fancy, and your resume may get the wrong kind of attention. A badly selected font can render your resume unreadable, and instead of going to the top of the pile, it’s likely headed to the shredders or trash bin.
Considerations When Picking a Font
You only have one chance to make a good first impression, so when choosing the best font for a resume, you have to consider a few things:
✅ Mobile-friendliness – with more and more recruiters using mobile phones to read an applicant’s resume, you not only have to make sure your typeface looks good on a laptop but that it’s also easy on the eyes when viewed on a mobile device.
Consider testing how your resume looks on multiple devices. Some fonts may look crisp on larger screens, but they lose clarity when scaled down. Look for fonts that maintain their legibility at various sizes. If you plan to write a resume with a condensed layout, scalability is crucial!
✅ Word count – remember that your target is to fit all of your most winning qualities on one or two pages. Likewise, your resume format should also help with the smart use of white spaces. The right font can make your resume appear well put together.
Some fonts have tighter spacing, which allows you to include more content without overwhelming the reader. However, balance is key. Run away from fonts that appear cramped! The rule is that even when you’re looking for a compact font to help with word count, it must never compromise readability. Try different font weights to determine which one conserves space without affecting the clarity.
✅ Attractiveness – it only takes 6 seconds for a recruiter to gauge whether your resume is worth reading, and you want to choose a clear, appealing, and highly readable font, so recruiters will take time to go through its contents and get past the six-second threshold. A creative field may allow for a slightly more modern typeface. But the best font for a resume in a traditional industry is still a classic serif.
✅ Consistency — whatever font you choose, you must make sure it’s consistent with the overall design. It’s important to maintain a cohesive look throughout your document. You don’t want the recruiter to think you copied some content from different templates and didn’t even bother to make the font uniform.
✅ Industry norms — different industries have varying expectations. Research the common fonts used in your field so you’ll choose one that resonates with industry standards.
✅ Personality and tone — in a subtle way, your font can communicate your personality. A more creative resume will benefit from a modern and unique font. But a legal or academic resume should stick to the conservative options.
✅ Digital compatibility — most employers use Applicant Tracking Systems to evaluate resumes before narrowing down the list of candidates. You need a resume font that’s accurately processed by those systems.
✅ Accessibility — the font you choose must be easily readable by everyone, including those with visual impairments. Fonts with clear letter shapes and generous spacing improve the accessibility of your resume.
Sans-Serif vs. Serif Fonts: What’s Better for Resumes?
One of the main decisions is whether to use a sans-serif or a serif font. Both types have unique features and can influence the way your resume is perceived.
What’s the Difference?
Serif fonts have small decorative lines, or “serifs,” at the ends of their strokes. They are meant to guide the reader’s eye along the text. Serifs can enhance the content’s readability in print. Common examples of serif fonts are Times New Roman, Georgia, and Garamond.
These are the main features of serif fonts:
They appear traditional and formal
Readers often perceive them as classic and established
Serif fonts improve the legibility of lengthy printed documents, which is why they are commonly used in printed books
Sans-serif fonts, as the name suggests, don’t have those small features at the end of strokes. They achieve a clean, modern look that’s perfect for digital viewing. Popular examples include Arial, Calibri, and Helvetica.
These are the most important characteristics of sans-serif fonts:
They are clean and minimalist
Readers perceive them as modern and straightforward
They are typically more legible on screens, even at smaller sizes
What’s Better: Serif or Sans-Serif?
Your choice depends on a few things:
What’s your industry? Traditional industries, such as law, finance, and academia, prefer serif fonts. That’s because they convey a sense of formality. For example, a classic serif like Georgia or Cambria can look sophisticated. That’s important when you apply for positions where history and reputation matter.
In modern and creative industries, sans-serif fonts are favored. That’s the case with resumes for tech, marketing, and design, where a clean and contemporary appearance is preferred. Fonts like Helvetica and Calibri signal efficiency.
Sans-serif fonts are recommended for resumes that are viewed online or via mobile devices. Their simple, uncluttered lines translate well across different screens. They ensure that your resume is easily readable. If your resume is likely to be printed out, go for a serif font. We recommend testing at least two fonts on multiple devices and in print. Choose the one that keeps your text clear and engaging regardless of the medium.
Best & Worst Fonts for Resume
If you’re asking what the best font for a resume is, here are resume-friendly fonts preferred by most recruiters and hiring managers.
✅ Arial
Arial is considered by many to be the safest font to use on a resume. Arial letters have an uncluttered look, are reasonably sized, and, most importantly, easy to read. Unfortunately, due to this lettering’s widespread use, many younger recruiters find it boring. Still, its straightforward appearance makes it the best font for a resume for those in the marketing field.
In case you have trouble fitting your info on one page with standard Arial, try Arial Narrow instead. Arial is so neutral and versatile that it can be used for all industries, especially in those that value professionalism. It performs well across digital and print formats, so your resume will be readable regardless of the medium.
✅ Calibri
Calibri is another safe font that’s already familiar to the eye, primarily because it’s the default lettering on Microsoft Word. On both paper and computer screens, Calibri appears smooth and visually pleasing, and its contemporary look means it’s highly preferred by those in modern industries such as tech and Internet companies. Its rounded, soft edges give the content a friendly yet professional tone.
Likewise, the size makes it especially useful when you have to cram a lot of information into your single-page resume. Calibri has a well-proportioned design. It allows for dense content without affecting the document’s legibility at all.
✅ Cambria
Cambria’s reliable and classy appearance makes it very readable even when printed small. It characteristically has even spacing and proportions that are perfectly suitable as body text, which consequently makes it the best font for a cover letter. If your resume has a lot of bullet points, then include Cambria in your shortlist of fonts to choose from.
The structured design of Cambria adds a touch of formality. That makes it perfect for academic, legal, and administrative roles. The design is great for on-screen reading and works really well when combined with bold headers.
✅ Helvetica
Heavily favored by designers and typographers, Helvetica has a clean and confident look that’s traditional, like Times New Roman, minus the attention-calling embellishments. That’s why you’ll notice it is widely used in company brands and logos - Jeep, Lufthansa, and Panasonic are prime examples. If you notice that the company you want to work for uses Helvetica in its branding, you’ll achieve a subtle visual alignment with the organization’s style when you use it in your resume.
Helvetica is a great choice for those applying for corporate jobs and is widely considered the best font for a resume header. It’s also great for industries where aesthetics and precision are valued, such as design, architecture, and advertising. This font is modern design excellence at its finest. With its crisp lines, you’ll achieve a polished resume without much effort.
✅ Georgia
Classic and sleek, Georgia makes resumes a breeze to read. It has a traditional look but doesn’t have the tired appearance of Times New Roman or Arial. Many career professionals recommend its use to job seekers, and universities recommend its use on recent graduates' resumes because of its high readability on computer screens.
✅ Garamond
Garamond offers a contemporary twist on the traditional style, offering a gracefulness, poise, and presence that suits creative resumes well. For those who want to have a career in the arts (literary, visual, theater, etc.), this is the best font for a resume to show your exquisite taste. Its timeless elegance ensures readability while subtly conveying sophistication, making it a great choice for professionals seeking to highlight their artistic sensibilities.
Top 4 Fonts to Avoid on a Resume (& Why)
❌ Comic Sans – This font lacks professionalism and appears overly casual, making it unsuitable for formal job applications. Recruiters may perceive it as childish or unpolished, reducing your chances of making a strong first impression.
Comic Sans is mostly used in informal communication, such as party invitations or casual memos. Due to the reputation it has, it can undermine the seriousness of your application. It will clash with the resume’s professional tone, and it will distract the recruiter from your actual qualifications.
You might be tempted to use it in a creative industry. But even then, it’s best to use a font that balances creativity with professionalism. That’s not Comic Sans.
❌ Papyrus – While unique, Papyrus is often seen as outdated and overused in amateur design projects. Its uneven strokes, and decorative elements can make your resume look unprofessional and difficult to read.
It’s one of those fonts that carries too much visual baggage. It can detract from the content of your resume, and it will definitely overwhelm the reader.
Papyrus also lacks versatility. Its stylistic elements are so strong that they limit the font to certain design contexts. It’s the riskiest choice for general resume applications. Recruiters will see it as a sign of amateurish design.
❌ Courier New – A monospaced typewriter-style font, Courier New can make your resume look old-fashioned and cluttered. The equal spacing between letters makes it harder to scan quickly, which is crucial when recruiters spend only seconds reviewing each resume.
With its fixed-width design. Courier New results in excessive white space and irregular text alignment. That disrupts the natural flow of information in your resume. Even if you want to evoke a vintage or technical feel, there are many better alternatives. For example, IBM Plex Mono preserves the essence of the monospaced type but is much more professional than Courier New.
❌ Times New Roman – Though widely recognized, Times New Roman is often considered overused and uninspired, making your resume blend in rather than stand out. The exception is academic CVs, where tradition and readability take priority over modern design. Georgia and Cambria work well as alternatives. They maintain the clarity and formality of Times New Roman but don’t look old-fashioned.
Why the Choice of a Resume Font Matters
When choosing the best resume font, you’re going beyond a simple aesthetic decision. The font plays a crucial role in the first impression you make on recruiters. If you want your resume to grab attention, every visual element counts. These are the main reasons why the font matters:
The font has a lot to do with readability and quick scanning. You want your key information to be easily digestible at a glance. Recruiters don’t have the time to decipher ornate or cramped typefaces.
When you use the right font with proper sizing and spacing, you’ll guide the reader through your resume in a logical flow. That’s called visual hierarchy, and it helps the reader find important details without getting lost in content.
Fonts communicate subtle cues about your professionalism and attention to detail. A good choice signals that you understand the nuances of presentation and you’re serious about your career.
Fonts evoke different moods, too. For example, a modern sans-serif font conveys innovation and efficiency. A classic serif, on the other hand, evokes tradition and reliability. Match your font to industry norms so you’ll set the right tone.
Typography influences how your resume feels. Clean, crisp fonts create a sense of order and stability. They make your resume look trustworthy. Psychology of fonts is a real thing! Fonts that are too casual have a negative emotional resonance.
Cohesiveness is important, too. It helps you create a personal brand and shows you’re organized and intentional.
The resume isn’t just about listing qualifications. It’s your personal marketing document. The right font enhances your content. It subtly sets the mood before a recruiter even reads your first bullet point.
How ATS Systems Handle Different Fonts
Companies use Applicant Tracking Systems to screen resumes so they can filter out the candidates who don’t qualify. The systems scan applications for keywords, formatting, and structure. Then, they rank them based on relevance. Although content is still crucial, the choice of font can impact how well the ATS processes your resume.
Some Fonts Don’t Work with ATS. Why?
Most modern ATS programs are designed to handle a variety of fonts. But you don’t know what type of program the company uses. It may have a hard time processing overly decorative, uncommon, or outdated fonts. They may lead to parsing errors or formatting issues. This is why the selection of font choice matters when you’re trying to write an ATS-friendly resume:
If the ATS doesn’t support your font, your document might display incorrectly or not at all.
Ornamental fonts are the worst. They can confuse text recognition. Avoid swirly or script-style fonts since they make it hard for the ATS to identify words accurately.
If a fancy font is found in a PDF file, the ATS won’t be able to extract text properly.
How to Make the Font ATS-Friendly
Start by choosing a standard, widely recognized font. You can go for Arial, Calibri, Georgia, Garamond, or Helvetica.Times New Roman is a safe choice for ATS, but it may make your resume look boring for a human reader. Your ultimate goal is a clean, easy-to-read, and commonly supported font.
Here are some additional tips to follow:
Stick to a 10-12 point font size for the body text.
You can use bold and caps, but sparingly and appropriately. You can highlight the headings and key sections with a bold font, but going overboard with all caps can confuse ATS. Plus, it will appear robotic to human readers.
PDF and Word files are the safest options for ATS compatibility.
Speaking of ATSs, they also don’t like resumes based on templates with multiple columns or elaborate layouts. Such designs can be visually appealing, but they are a big NO-NO for applicant tracking software.
Pairing Resume Fonts: Should You Use More than One?
Clarity and readability are essential aspects of resumes, and you should never jeopardize them. However, a little visual hierarchy will be beneficial. Font pairing can make the document more visually appealing and readable.
Using a single font is perfectly acceptable and safe. But you can also use two complementary fonts. One will be for the headers and the other one for the body text. With this, you’ll add some structure without affecting the polished, professional look.
When to Use a Single Font
If you’re after the safest and cleanest approach, then use just one font across the entire resume. If you’re doing military resume writing to transition to a federal role, experimenting with fonts is not the right thing to do.
Opt for a well-known, versatile font like Calibri, Arial, or Georgia. It can easily serve as a headline and body font, but you’ll adjust the size, bolding, and capitalization.
Here are some situations when a single font is the right decision:
You’re applying in conservative industries like finance, law, or education
You want a minimalist design with no complications whatsoever
You’re not sure how to pair fonts without eliminating the risk of clashing typefaces
When to Pair Fonts for Visual Appeal
With pairing fonts, you’ll make a clear distinction between the sections of your resume. The smart use of two fonts will guide the reader’s eye from the headers to job titles and descriptions. The trick is to create contrast without distraction.
These tips will help you do it the right way:
There has to be some contrast. You’ll achieve that by pairing a serif with a sans-serif. For example, a serif header paired with a sans-serif body will be easy to read.
You’re too tempted to use a decorative font? Use only one for the section headings, and make sure it’s legible.
Consistency is important! Use the same header and body font pair throughout the resume. Never mix three or more fonts. That will only make your resume look messy and unprofessional.
Mind the sizing. Headers should be about 2-4 points larger than body text. With that, you’ll maintain hierarchy without overwhelming the page.
The real question is: what fonts go well together in a resume?
Font pairing can be risky. These are the main mistakes to avoid:
Mixing two bold or highly stylized fonts. Such a combo will overwhelm the reader.
Using fonts that are too similar. We don’t recommend pairing Calibri and Arial. That gives little contrast and feels redundant.
Going overboard with effects. Two fonts are enough for versatility. You don’t need any underlines, shadows, or colored fonts in a professional resume.
If you decide to hire our resume writing service, your writer will advise you on the need to use two fonts. Together, you can determine the best combo to use for a successful resume. With their experience, our writers know how to make a job application visually appealing without affecting its ATS compatibility.
Resume Fonts and Color
Fonts aren’t just about shape. They also involve color. Resume font color is a small detail since it should always be subtle. But it plays a powerful role in the way your resume is perceived. When done right, using some color can help you stand out in a good way.
Black or Dark Gray — That’s the Standard
Most resumes are printed in black and white or viewed on screens. Legibility is key! Black or dark gray fonts are easier to read and work well across devices, formats, and ATS systems. These colors also signal formality and clarity. Those aspects are valued in traditional industries like law, finance, and academia.
Use dark gray if you want a softer, modern look.
If you want to maintain maximum readability, go for black in the body text.
When to Use Color in Resume Fonts
This is the main rule to follow: the main body text should always be dark. You can strategically use color in section titles, name headers, or dividing lines. With that, you can create a subtle visual hierarchy and add some personality. This can be effective in creative fields like marketing, design, and tech.
Try a deep navy, charcoal, or muted burgundy for your name in the name header. That will slightly emphasize it and make it more memorable.
You can use a muted color, such as slate blue, forest green, or deep teal, for section titles.
Choose one color accent and stick to it. Don’t overuse color in the resume; it will distract the reader from the content and make the document look unprofessional.
Final thoughts
When writing your resume, your primary goal is to make your qualifications easily visible and readable. Your great skills and experience won’t matter much if the recruiter is going to miss it during the first - and likely final - scan. Prevent your resume from landing in the rejection pile by choosing your font wisely and making sure the rest of your resume’s features are polished, professional, and on point.
Having trouble crafting the perfect resume? Let us help. From font choice to structure, margin size, and content, we can build you a resume that meets the employer’s needs and lands you that interview. Contact us today.