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 what is the best font for a resume, you have to consider three 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.
✅ 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.
✅ 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.
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.
✅ 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 screen, 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. Likewise, the size makes it especially useful for when you have to cram a lot of information into your single-page resume.
✅ 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.
✅ 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 widely used in company brands and logos - Jeep, Lufthansa, and Panasonic are prime examples. Helvetica is a great choice for those applying for corporate jobs and is widely considered the best font for a resume header.
✅ 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.
❌ 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.
❌ 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.
❌ 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.
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.
