Best Resume Fonts: A Complete Guide to Typography That Gets You Hired

Your resume font may seem like a minor detail, but typography plays a surprisingly significant role in how your application is perceived. Research shows that readers make judgments about document credibility within milliseconds—often before consciously reading the content.

The right font communicates professionalism, attention to detail, and industry awareness. The wrong font can undermine your qualifications before a recruiter even starts reading. Add ATS (Applicant Tracking System) compatibility concerns, and font selection becomes a strategic decision rather than a mere aesthetic choice.

This comprehensive guide covers the best resume fonts for 2025, explains the science behind typography choices, and provides specific recommendations for different industries and experience levels.

Why Resume Fonts Matter

First Impression Impact

Before reading your accomplishments, recruiters see your font. Studies in typography psychology reveal:

• Sans-serif fonts are perceived as modern, clean, and innovative
• Serif fonts are perceived as traditional, trustworthy, and established
• Decorative fonts are perceived as unprofessional or inappropriate for business

Your font sets the tone for everything that follows.

Readability Affects Engagement

If your resume is difficult to read, recruiters won’t struggle through it—they’ll move to the next candidate. Font readability depends on:

• Letter spacing (tracking)
• Character distinction (how different similar letters look)
• Stroke weight (consistency of lines)
• X-height (height of lowercase letters relative to capitals)

ATS Compatibility

Before human eyes see your resume, it often passes through ATS software. Some fonts cause parsing problems:

• Unusual fonts may not be recognized
• Decorative characters may be converted incorrectly
• Embedded fonts may not render properly

Using standard, widely-installed fonts ensures your content is accurately captured.

Top Recommended Resume Fonts for 2025

Sans-Serif Fonts (Modern and Clean)

1. Calibri

Best for: Most industries, especially corporate and technology Size recommendation: 10-12pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Clean, modern, and highly readable. As the default Microsoft Office font since 2007, it’s universally available and renders consistently across devices.

Pros:

• Excellent readability at small sizes
• Modern appearance without being trendy
• Universal availability
• Outstanding ATS compatibility

Cons:

• Some consider it too “default” or lacking distinctiveness
• Doesn’t stand out from other applications

2. Arial

Best for: Corporate environments, traditional industries Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Clean and professional with excellent legibility. Arial has been a business standard for decades.

Pros:

• Universally available
• Highly readable
• Professional appearance
• Perfect ATS compatibility

Cons:

• Some designers consider it “boring”
• Very common, less distinctive

3. Helvetica

Best for: Design, creative industries, marketing Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: The gold standard of typography, Helvetica communicates sophistication and design awareness.

Pros:

• Highly respected in design circles
• Clean and professional
• Excellent readability
• Signals design sophistication

Cons:

• Not pre-installed on Windows (Helvetica Neue is on Mac)
• Must verify availability on target systems

4. Verdana

Best for: Digital-first applications, screen reading Size recommendation: 9-11pt body (reads larger), 12-14pt headers Why it works: Designed specifically for screen readability, with wider letter spacing and clear character distinction.

Pros:

• Excellent on-screen readability
• Clear at small sizes
• Universal availability
• Strong ATS compatibility

Cons:

• Reads larger, requiring size adjustment
• Can appear sparse at larger sizes

5. Trebuchet MS

Best for: Creative industries, startups, technology Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Slightly distinctive while remaining professional, with subtle character that stands out from standard fonts.

Pros:

• Modern and clean
• Distinctive without being unprofessional
• Good readability
• Widely available

Cons:

• May be too casual for traditional industries
• Less common on non-Windows systems

6. Open Sans

Best for: Technology, startups, modern companies Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Google’s open-source font designed for excellent screen readability with a friendly, neutral appearance.

Pros:

• Modern and approachable
• Excellent screen readability
• Works well at various sizes
• Free and widely available

Cons:

• May not be installed on older systems
• Should be embedded in PDFs for consistency

7. Lato

Best for: Creative, design, marketing roles Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Designed to be “transparent” in documents while having warmth and stability.

Pros:

• Professional yet distinctive
• Excellent readability
• Modern appearance
• Free Google font

Cons:

• Not universally installed
• May require embedding

Serif Fonts (Traditional and Established)

8. Garamond

Best for: Academia, law, publishing, finance Size recommendation: 11-12pt body (reads smaller), 14-16pt headers Why it works: Classic elegance that conveys professionalism and attention to detail.

Pros:

• Highly professional appearance
• Efficient use of space
• Long-form readability
• Conveys tradition and stability

Cons:

• Reads smaller, requiring size adjustment
• May appear outdated in tech contexts

9. Georgia

Best for: Traditional industries, academic positions Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Designed for screen readability while maintaining classic serif aesthetics.

Pros:

• Excellent screen readability for a serif font
• Professional and classic
• Widely available
• Good ATS compatibility

Cons:

• May be too traditional for some industries
• Limited character set compared to some alternatives

10. Times New Roman

Best for: Law, government, academia (when specifically expected) Size recommendation: 11-12pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: The most recognized serif font, appropriate when convention is valued.

Pros:

• Universal availability
• Familiar and professional
• Perfect ATS compatibility
• Expected in certain formal contexts

Cons:

• Often seen as dated or unimaginative
• Overused in business contexts
• Can signal lack of design awareness

11. Cambria

Best for: Professional services, consulting, traditional corporate Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Microsoft’s serif alternative to Times New Roman, designed for screen use with traditional aesthetics.

Pros:

• Modern take on classic serif
• Excellent screen readability
• Widely available on Windows
• Strong ATS compatibility

Cons:

• Less common on Mac
• May not render identically cross-platform

12. Book Antiqua

Best for: Publishing, academia, non-profits Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Elegant and professional with a literary quality.

Pros:

• Distinctive yet professional
• Excellent readability
• Classic appearance
• Conveys sophistication

Cons:

• May be too decorative for some contexts
• Not as universally available

Modern/Contemporary Fonts

13. Roboto

Best for: Technology, startups, design Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Google’s signature font, conveying modernity and technical sophistication.

Pros:

• Modern and clean
• Excellent screen readability
• Signals tech awareness
• Free and widely adopted

Cons:

• Not universally installed
• May be too casual for traditional industries

14. Source Sans Pro

Best for: Technology, digital-focused roles Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Adobe’s open-source sans-serif designed for user interfaces, excellent for digital-first resumes.

Pros:

• Modern professional appearance
• Designed for clarity
• Free and open-source
• Works well on screens

Cons:

• Not pre-installed on most systems
• Requires embedding for consistency

15. Avenir

Best for: Design, creative, executive roles Size recommendation: 10-11pt body, 14-16pt headers Why it works: Elegant geometric sans-serif that conveys sophistication and attention to design.

Pros:

• Highly refined appearance
• Excellent readability
• Modern yet timeless
• Signals design awareness

Cons:

• Not free (comes with Mac, must purchase for Windows)
• Not universally available

Fonts to Avoid on Resumes

Decorative Fonts

Never use on resumes:

• Comic Sans
• Papyrus
• Curlz
• Impact
• Brush Script

These fonts are unprofessional, difficult to read, and signal poor judgment.

Display Fonts

Avoid these:

• Any font designed for headlines at large sizes
• Fonts with extreme weights (very thin or very bold)
• Fonts with unusual proportions

Handwriting Fonts

Not appropriate for resumes:

• Any script or cursive font
• Fonts mimicking handwriting
• “Artistic” signatures

Exception: A subtle handwriting font might work for a signature line in creative fields, but even then, use sparingly.

Overly Stylized Sans-Serif

Use with caution or avoid:

• Fonts that sacrifice readability for style
• Ultra-condensed fonts
• Extremely geometric fonts that reduce legibility

Font Size Guidelines

Body Text

Recommended: 10-12pt

• 10pt: Dense content, two-page resumes
• 10.5pt: Good balance of content and readability
• 11pt: Standard for most resumes
• 12pt: Very readable, works for shorter resumes

Note: Some fonts read larger or smaller at the same point size. Test your specific font and adjust accordingly.

Section Headers

Recommended: 12-16pt

• 12pt bold: Subtle differentiation
• 14pt: Standard header size
• 16pt: Maximum for most resumes

Name/Header

Recommended: 14-24pt

• 14-16pt: Conservative, space-efficient
• 18-20pt: Standard, good visibility
• 22-24pt: Maximum for single-page resumes

Never Go Below

Minimum readable size: 9pt (in exceptional circumstances only)

• Contact information can sometimes be 9pt
• Main content should never be below 10pt
• Recruiters won’t strain to read small text

Industry-Specific Font Recommendations

Technology and Startups

Recommended fonts: Calibri, Open Sans, Roboto, Source Sans Pro Style: Clean sans-serif, modern appearance Avoid: Traditional serifs that may seem dated

Finance and Banking

Recommended fonts: Garamond, Calibri, Georgia Style: Professional, trustworthy, established Avoid: Overly modern or trendy fonts

Creative and Design

Recommended fonts: Helvetica, Avenir, Lato Style: Sophisticated, design-aware Avoid: “Default” fonts like Arial or Times New Roman

Law and Government

Recommended fonts: Times New Roman, Garamond, Georgia Style: Traditional, formal, conventional Avoid: Modern sans-serif fonts that may seem too casual

Healthcare

Recommended fonts: Arial, Calibri, Georgia Style: Clean, professional, trustworthy Avoid: Decorative or unusual fonts

Academia

Recommended fonts: Garamond, Times New Roman, Cambria Style: Traditional, scholarly Avoid: Modern sans-serif for traditional institutions

Marketing and Advertising

Recommended fonts: Helvetica, Lato, Open Sans Style: Modern, clean, brand-aware Avoid: Fonts that don’t demonstrate design awareness

Formatting Best Practices

Consistency Rules

Use maximum two fonts: One for headers, one for body (or one throughout) Maintain consistent sizing: Same size for all body text, same for all headers Consistent weights: Use bold strategically, not randomly

Hierarchy Through Typography

Create visual hierarchy using:

• Size variation: Larger for more important elements
• Weight variation: Bold for emphasis
• Case variation: ALL CAPS for section headers (sparingly)

Avoid using multiple methods simultaneously for the same emphasis.

Line Spacing (Leading)

Recommended: 1.0 to 1.15 line spacing

• 1.0: Most compact, good for dense content
• 1.15: Slightly more readable, standard for resumes
• 1.5 or 2.0: Too spacious for resumes (wastes space)

Character Spacing (Tracking)

Usually leave at default: Font designers optimize spacing Consider tightening slightly: For large headers if needed Avoid expanding: Creates awkward, hard-to-read text

ATS Compatibility Considerations

Safest Fonts for ATS

These fonts are universally supported and cause no parsing issues:

• Arial
• Calibri
• Times New Roman
• Georgia
• Verdana
• Trebuchet MS
• Tahoma
• Garamond
• Cambria

Potentially Problematic Fonts

These fonts may cause issues if not properly embedded:

• Custom or purchased fonts
• Newer Google fonts
• System-specific fonts (Mac-only or Windows-only)

Embedding Best Practices

When using less common fonts:

• Save as PDF with fonts embedded
• Test by copying text from PDF to verify it’s parseable
• Have a backup version in a standard font

Using Professional Resume Tools

Modern resume builders like 0portfolio.com handle typography decisions intelligently:

• Pre-selected professional fonts: Curated options that work
• Automatic sizing: Proper hierarchy built-in
• ATS optimization: Fonts chosen for compatibility
• Consistent formatting: No manual adjustment needed

These tools eliminate font selection stress while ensuring professional results.

Testing Your Font Choice

Screen Test

View your resume on:

• Desktop monitor
• Laptop screen
• Tablet
• Phone (yes, recruiters review resumes on mobile)

Print Test

Print your resume and verify:

• Text is readable at normal distance
• Headers stand out appropriately
• No blurring or poor rendering

PDF Test

Save as PDF and:

• Open on a different device
• Verify formatting is preserved
• Copy text to ensure it’s selectable (important for ATS)

Final Font Checklist

Before finalizing your resume font:

✅ Professional appearance: Does it look appropriate for your industry? ✅ Readability: Can you comfortably read body text? ✅ Consistency: Are you using fonts consistently throughout? ✅ Hierarchy: Are headers clearly distinguished from body text? ✅ Size: Is body text 10-12pt and readable? ✅ Availability: Will the font render correctly on all systems? ✅ ATS compatibility: Have you tested text extraction? ✅ Industry fit: Does your font match industry expectations?

Your font is part of your professional presentation. Choose thoughtfully, test thoroughly, and ensure it supports rather than detracts from your qualifications. The right typography makes your content shine while signaling attention to detail that employers value.