8/17/2016 WritingaResume:WhichFontsAreBest?

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The Best Fonts to Use on Your Resume

By Nicole Fallon Taylor, Business News Daily Managing Editor March 24, 2016 09:11 am EST
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Credit: lyeyee/Shutterstock

Of all the design choices you make when creating a rsum, one of the most
important is the font. The typeface you use to list your experience and skills
sends a strong message about your personality, style and professionalism, and
the right (or wrong) font can really impact a hiring manager's rst impression of
you.

"Since a prospective employer is looking at the rsum for only [a few] seconds,
you want [a font] that is aesthetically pleasing and [that] grabs the employer's
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attention at a quick glance," said Wendi Weiner, a certi ed professional rsum

writer and founder ofThe Writing Guru."The rsum should be sophisticated in
design, with clear headings that stand out."

There are hundreds of different fonts available, so picking one for your
rsumcan be dif cult. Though there are several different font families, most job
seekers go with serif fonts stylized fonts with tails and other decorative
markings, like Times New Roman or sans-serif fonts, simpler, no-frills varieties
like Arial. A Weemss infographicon the psychology of fonts said that serif
typefaces are associated with being reliable, impressive, respectable,
authoritative and traditional, while sans-serif fonts are seen as universal, clean,
modern, objective and stable.
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No matter which font family you choose, your rsum typeface should be easy on
the eyes and should show up well both in print and on a screen, regardless of
size or formatting. It's also a good idea to choose a standard, universal font that
works on any computer's operating system, as your rsum will also likely be
scanned by automated applicant-tracking software.

According to rsum and career experts, here are the best font choices for job
seekers, and the kind of message each one sends to potential employers.
[Looking for a new job? Check out Business News Daily's job search section.]

1. Arial

If you want to use a sans-serif font, Arial is one of the best options for your
rsum. Barbara Safani, owner of the career management rm Career Solvers,
told AOL Jobsthat she likes to see the Arial font because the lines are clean and
it's easy to read. A Creative Group blog postnoted that some hiring managers
may nd Arial to be banal and unsophisticated. However, this tried-and-true
classic has become a standard and is de nitely a safe choice.

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2. Calibri

As the default Microsoft Word font, Calibri is an excellent option for a safe,
universally readable font. Professional rsum writer Donna Svei is a strong
advocate of Calibri on rsums, noting on her blog, AvidCareerist, that this font is
familiar to most readers and renders well on computer screens. Svei also noted
that 12-point Calibri produces a "perfectly sized" two-page rsum of 550 to 750
words.

3. Didot

If you work in a creative industry like fashion or photography, you can showcase
your style and sophistication with Didot. A Canva Design School blog postcalled
this serif font "distinctive" and classy," praising its upscale look. However, author
Janie Kliever cautioned job seekers that, since delicate serifs display best at
larger sizes, you may want to use Didot only for headings on your resume.
Download it from UFonts.

4. Garamond

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Job seekers looking for an old-style font should consider using Garamond for
their rsums. This timeless typeface has "a simple elegance that looks polished
in print ... or on screen," wrote The Creative Group.

5. Georgia

If you want a traditional-looking alternative to the oft-overused Times New

Roman, consider switching to the Georgia font. A Colorado Technical University
infographic on Mashablerecommended using Georgia because of its readability:
The font was designed to be read on screens and is available on any computer.

6. Helvetica

This clean, modern, sans-serif font is a favorite among designers and

typographers. Helvetica appears in numerous corporate brand logos (Nestle,
Lufthansa and American Apparel, to name a few) and even on New York City
subway signs. In an article on Bloomberg Business, typography expert Brian Hoff
of Brian Hoff Design described it as "professional, lighthearted and honest,"
noting that is reads as "business-y." Helvetica comes preloaded on Macs, but PC
users can download it from The Fonty.

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7. Times New Roman

Despite being called the "sweatpants of fonts," this universally recognized

typeface remains a popular rsum choice. Marcia LaReau, founder and president
of Career Strategist, wrote on Forward Motion Careersthat Times New Roman
will show up as clean, easy-to-read text on any computer. While this font is
highly readable and safe, be aware that, as with Arial, using it may be construed
as boring and unimaginative, and it is unlikely to stand out in a sea of rsums.

8. Trebuchet MS

Job seekers who want a sans-serif typeface but don't want to use Arial or Verdana
can switch to Trebuchet MS. Chandlee Bryan, a certi ed career coach, said
Trebuchet MS is an excellent choice for those looking to set themselves apart
from other candidates. Your rsum will stand out because it has a slightly
unusual font choice, without looking so strange that it turns off potential
employers, Bryan said.

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Here are a few other popular rsum font choices that are clear, legible and
scalable:

Serif Bell MT, Bodoni MT, Bookman Old Style, Cambria, Goudy Old Style

Sans-serif Century Gothic, Gill Sans MT, Lucida Sans, Tahoma, Verdana

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Additional reporting by Chad Brooks.

Nicole Fallon Taylor

Nicole received her Bachelor's degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York
University. She began freelancing for Business News Daily in 2010 and joined the team as a
staff writer three years later. She currently serves as the managing editor. Reach her by email,
or follow her onTwitter.

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