Best Font for Resume What Font Should a Resume Be

Best Font for Resume What Font Should a Resume BeBest Font for Resume What Font Should a Resume Be?September 25, 2019 By Samuel Johns Reviewed by Mark Slack, CPRWNext to all the other decisions you make during the job-hunt process, picking a resume font may seem unimportant. However, this small decision could make the difference between landing an interview and missing the cut. Build My Resume NowKnowing what font to use for your resume can be tricky. After all, there are so many of them tens of thousands in fact.If you type what font should a resume be in into Google, youll find many long lists of fonts to use for your resume. They go into long detail on the history of each font, and who created them.But such information isnt helpful for you. Instead, were going to narrow things down. Were going to suggest one or two professional fonts for your resume personalized for you based on the industry youre applying for work in.Without further ado, heres our list of recommended fonts f or your resume.1. What Font Should a Resume Be? 9 Good Resume Fonts to UseTheres no such thing as the perfect resume font. The appropriate font for your resume depends on many factors. These factor include your professional industry and the degree of formality a company expects. TipIf youre unaya whether a company is more formal or casual, check out its website and its other publications online.Youll notlageice that in our list we exclude two major voreingestellt fonts for resumes Arial and Times New Roman. Thats because theyre overused.Theres nothing wrong with these fonts theyre good resume fonts. However, so many applicants use them that they dont stand out (unless that applicant is using one of our eye-catching resume templates, of course).As a better alternative, here are some excellent, less popular fonts. Theyre sure to make your resume design pop while leise keeping things professional1. CambriaCambria is a professional font for resumes of all types. While its designed t o look good on a monitor, its also readable at small sizes. So it holds up when printed out.Despite being a recently created font, Cambria has a traditional air to it. That means its not going to put off any hiring managers.Use this font if youre applying for a job in traditional fields such as law, academia, banking, or accounting. TipDont forget to use the saatkorn font on your resume and your matching cover letter template to keep your application looking consistent.2. GeorgiaGeorgia is a modern resume font thats perfect for those in creative industries. Its similar to Times New Roman, but distinguishes itself by being a little more fun.Since its used by companies like the New York Times and Amazon, its familiar to most readers, so dont worry about it being too outlandish.One downside is that its a little thick compared with other good resume fonts. So choose something else if youre tight on space.Use this font if youre applying for a job in a creative field like graphic design, publishing, or photography. TipNot sure how to get started with your resume? Learn how to write a resume in 10 easy steps.3. GaramondGaramond is a timeless, classic font dating from the 15th or 16th century Its among the best fonts to use for a resume, since its classy and recognizable.Like a fine wine, Garamond has aged well, and holds its own against modern alternatives. Although its not too commonly employed by aspiring job seekers, its a perfectly acceptable resume font.Use this font if you can use Garamond for pretty much any role. Theres a good reason its been around for 500 years (and counting), after all.4. HelveticaHelvetica is a contemporary typeface for your resume. Its notably used on signs throughout the New York Subway. Its polished, clear, and professional aesthetic is sure to impress any hiring manager.Helvetica is preinstalled on Apple computers, but youll need to acquire it separately if youre using Microsoft Windows.Use this font if youre applying for a job in a relatively modern field, such as sales, office work, or customer service.5. CalibriCalibri is a tasteful, modern resume font. Its used by many email clients, such as Gmail. Therefore, hiring managers will have no problem opening your application. Its also the default on Microsoft Word, making it a good resume font because of its widespread usage. TipIf you do send your application by email, your resume format will remain the same. However, youll need a slightly different cover letter format, so its important to learn how to structure an email cover letter before sending out your application.Calibri was designed to have a warm and soft character, according to its designer, Lucas de Groot.Use this font if youre applying to positions where youll be taking care of others, such as teaching, hospitality, and nursing.6. Book AntiquaOne thing all proper fonts for resumes have in common is that theyre not distracting. In other words, theyre not flashy but mucksmuschenstill catch the hirin g managers attention.Book Antiqua is the perfect example of a proper resume font. Its different enough that its a pleasant change to a tired hiring manager digging through applications. But its not so out there as to make them reject your resume.While its not the most traditional font, its great for professions in the creative sector.Use this font if youre seeking work in a creative or cultural role, such as event planning, or tourism, or in museums and art galleries.7. Arial NarrowArial is a very common resume font. Arial Narrow, on the other hand, can come in handy when your resume is just spilling onto a second or third page and you want to make it fit. The text will remain readable too.Use this font if youre struggling to get your content onto a single page.8. Trebuchet MSTrebuchet MS is another friendly, rounded typeface for resumes. Its a little thicker than other good resume fonts, which means its great for entry-level job seekers who are trying to fill up their application. Its thickness also means its readable.Use this font if youre an entry-level job applicant or have little experience. Trebuchet MSs modern, friendly vibe also makes it a good choice for marketing, sales, and social media roles.9. LatoA newcomer to the world of fonts, Lato is described by its creator as serious and friendly. It was specifically created for corporate use, so its a standard font for resumes in 2019.As a recent addition, its not preinstalled on many computers. It might not show up properly if you send your application as a Word file, or include it in your email body text.Use this font if youre applying for a corporate job or a tech role, such as in IT or web development. TipTo preserve your font choices, use Microsoft Word to save (or print) your resume as a PDF. Embed your font choices into the PDF file by following these steps. The hiring manager will see the font as its supposed to appear.Didot A Bonus Resume Font for HeadersDidot is a good resume font, but its best used for yourheader normally either your name or resume headline. You should use a different font for the body to make the text more readable.This modern resume font makes your name or resume headline pop off the page. However, its thin strokes make it difficult to read at smaller font sizes. For example, look at the vertical lines of the Ns, the left stroke of the A, and right stroke of theV in the example above.For this reason, you shouldnt use Didot in your body text. It looks best as a resume header font paired with Garamond or Book Antiqua in the body.2. Three Resume Fonts to AvoidWeve answered the question what are the best fonts for resumes? So now lets look at the fonts you should stay away from.1. Lucinda HandwritingOK, we dont have anything against Lucinda Handwriting specifically. All fonts that are designed to look like they were handwritten are not appropriate fonts for resumes.Not only are such resume fonts unprofessional, but theyre also hard to read, and make you lo ok like a bit of an amateur.Alternatives Since most applicants who use handwritten fonts want to look creative, try a more professional resume font like the ones listed above, such as Book Antiqua or Georgia.2. CourierUnderstand that Courier and all typewriter-style fonts are unsuitable if youre still unsure about whats the best font to use for your resume.Thats because such fonts are monospaced each letter has the same spacing on the page, making a professional document like a resume look unnatural.Plus, whats the point of making your resume look like you used a typewriter to write it? It simply looks old-fashioned and behind the times.Alternatives Use a classic font thats still relevant today, like Garamond.3. Comic SansIf youre unfamiliar with this Comic Sans, all you need to know is that it was originally created to look like the font used in comic book speech bubbles.That says it all really. Comic Sans instantly makes a resume look childish and unprofessional.Alternatives If y oure looking for a friendly but professional font for your resume, then Calibri and Lato will do the job.3. Choosing the Right Resume Font SizeYou might be surprised to learn that font sizes differ between fonts.Take a look at these fonts, which are all size 10.5 pointsLooking at the fonts in the blue box above, you might think that theyre a variety of sizes. But actually, theyre all the same size (in points) even Garamond, which looks particularly small.On a resume, 11-point font looks aesthetically pleasing for most font styles. Yet the truth is that each font varies, so be sure to experiment with your resumes font size and style until you arrive at the best font size for your resume.Your resume font size should also be linked directly to the font style. Styles vary so much that one may look horrible at 10.5 points, whereas another appears ideal at 10.5 and bloated at 11.5.As you can see, theres no real standard resume font size. To achieve a perfect balance, first choose a font style, then adjust its size.In general though, 10 points is about the smallest font appropriate for resumes. TipDont make the mistake of letting page length dictate font size. Avoid making your font ridiculously large just to fill empty space Similarly, dont make the text so small the reader has to squint.If your resume exceeds a page by just a few words or a sentence, try using synonyms or rewriting sentences to make them shorter. If you cant shorten your resume by rewriting it, try adjusting the margin and font size. But dont go overboard with these adjustments, otherwise your resume will look terrible. You can also try switching your font to Arial Narrow to save space.Just remember, dont sacrifice your resumes aesthetic quality to fit it onto one page.4. Takeaways Best Font and Size for Your ResumeIf you want your resume to be noticed, your best bet is to use one of the fonts weve listed, and to stick to a font size between 10.5 and 12 points.Now you know what a good font for y our resume is (and what size font a resume should be), youre ready to start writing your own. TipFor more information on how to present your resume on a page, our resume aesthetics page will give you the full lowdown on margins, colors, and paper types.And for inspiration on the actual content, take a look at some of our resume samples, which cater to all industries (or just use our resume builder to create a resume in minutes).Have any comments or questions? Add them below, and our team of resume experts will get back to you shortly. Happy job hunting