Your resume font may seem like a minor design choice, but it directly affects readability, professionalism, and how quickly employers can identify your qualifications. So, what font should a resume be in ? The safest choices are clean, professional, easy-to-read fonts such as Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Georgia, Helvetica, Garamond, or Verdana. In most cases, use a body font between 10 and 12 points, with slightly larger text for your name and section headings.
The best resume font should:
- Be easy to read on a screen
- Remain clear when printed
- Look professional
- Display consistently across devices
- Support applicant tracking system compatibility
- Fit your industry and career level
- Allow enough white space for comfortable scanning
This guide compares the best fonts for a resume, explains recommended font sizes, and identifies formatting mistakes that could make your application harder to read.
What Is the Best Font for a Resume?
There is no single font that works perfectly for every candidate. However, the strongest options share three qualities: simplicity, readability, and professionalism.
The best fonts for most resumes include:
- Arial
- Calibri
- Cambria
- Georgia
- Helvetica
- Garamond
- Verdana
- Trebuchet MS
- Times New Roman
- Aptos
For most job seekers, Arial, Calibri, Aptos, or Cambria provide the safest balance between readability and professional presentation.
Quick Resume Font Comparison
| Font | Style | Best for | Main advantage |
| Arial | Sans serif | Most industries | Simple and highly readable |
| Calibri | Sans serif | Corporate and general roles | Clean and space-efficient |
| Aptos | Sans serif | Modern professional resumes | Contemporary Microsoft font |
| Cambria | Serif | Finance, law and management | Formal but readable |
| Georgia | Serif | Professional and academic roles | Clear on screens and in print |
| Helvetica | Sans serif | Design, technology and corporate roles | Modern and polished |
| Garamond | Serif | Academic, legal and executive roles | Elegant and space-efficient |
| Verdana | Sans serif | Digital and online applications | Excellent small-screen readability |
| Trebuchet MS | Sans serif | Marketing and creative roles | Professional with personality |
| Times New Roman | Serif | Conservative industries | Traditional and widely recognized |
- Arial
Arial is one of the safest professional resume fonts. Its clean design works well across industries and remains readable at relatively small sizes.
Advantages
- Easy to read
- Widely available
- Displays consistently
- Appropriate for most professions
- Works well for digital and printed resumes
Limitations
- Very common
- May look generic without strong spacing and hierarchy
- Less distinctive than newer fonts
Best for
- Healthcare
- Administration
- Customer service
- Technology
- Government
- Operations
- Entry-level applications
Recommended Size
Use Arial at 10.5 to 11.5 points for body text.
- Calibri
Calibri has been widely used in Microsoft Word documents and remains a strong resume option. It is compact, modern, and easy to scan.
Advantages
- Clean and professional
- Space-efficient
- Easy to read on a screen
- Suitable for most industries
- Helpful when fitting content onto one or two pages
Limitations
- Very familiar to recruiters
- May feel less formal in highly conservative fields
- Can look plain without thoughtful formatting
Best for
- Business
- Sales
- Marketing
- Human resources
- Project management
- Technology
- General corporate roles
Recommended Size
Use Calibri at 10.5 to 12 points.
- Aptos
Aptos is a modern Microsoft font designed for digital readability. It provides a clean alternative to Calibri and works well in contemporary resumes.
Advantages
- Modern appearance
- Clear on digital screens
- Professional without looking overly formal
- Good spacing and readability
Limitations
- May not be installed on older computers
- Formatting could shift when the document is opened in older software
Best for
- Technology
- Consulting
- Marketing
- Operations
- Business development
- Modern corporate roles
Recommended Size
Use Aptos at 10.5 to 11.5 points.
When sharing the final resume, save it as a PDF unless the employer specifically requests another format.
- Cambria
Cambria is a professional serif font created for comfortable screen reading. It has a more traditional appearance than Arial or Calibri.
Advantages
- Professional and authoritative
- Easy to read in print and digitally
- Suitable for conservative fields
- Distinctive without being distracting
Limitations
- Takes up more space than some sans-serif fonts
- Can make a dense resume feel heavier
- May appear traditional for highly creative roles
Best for
- Law
- Finance
- Accounting
- Government
- Education
- Senior management
- Federal resumes
Recommended Size
Use Cambria at 10.5 to 11 points.
- Georgia
Georgia combines the formality of a serif font with strong screen readability. Its thicker characters remain clear at smaller sizes.
Advantages
- Professional and polished
- Easy to read online
- Works well in printed documents
- Adds warmth and authority
Limitations
- Wider characters can increase page length
- May not suit minimalist designs
- Can appear heavy when overused
Best for
- Education
- Communications
- Legal services
- Consulting
- Management
- Nonprofit leadership
Recommended Size
Use Georgia at 10 to 11 points.
- Helvetica
Helvetica is known for its clean, modern appearance. It can make a resume feel polished and well organized.
Advantages
- Modern and professional
- Clear section headings
- Strong visual structure
- Suitable for creative and corporate roles
Limitations
- Not included on every Windows computer
- Closely spaced text may be harder to read at small sizes
- Font substitution can affect formatting
Best for
- Graphic design
- Product management
- Technology
- Architecture
- Advertising
- Brand and creative roles
Recommended Size
Use Helvetica at 10.5 to 11.5 points.
Always export the resume to PDF to preserve the typeface.
- Garamond
Garamond is an elegant serif font that can help fit more content onto a page because its characters are relatively narrow.
Advantages
- Refined and professional
- Space-efficient
- Excellent for printed resumes
- Appropriate for senior and academic candidates
Limitations
- Can be difficult to read at very small sizes
- Some versions display differently
- May look overly traditional in modern industries
Best for
- Academia
- Publishing
- Law
- Executive leadership
- Research
- Arts administration
Recommended Size
Use Garamond at 11 to 12 points. Avoid shrinking it excessively just to fit more content.
- Verdana
Verdana was designed for screen readability and uses wide spacing between characters.
Advantages
- Highly readable digitally
- Clear at smaller sizes
- Suitable for online applications
- Distinct letters reduce visual confusion
Limitations
- Takes up considerable space
- May make a resume longer
- Can feel informal in conservative industries
Best for
- Technology
- Digital marketing
- Remote roles
- Online support
- Customer success
- Web-based applications
Recommended Size
Use Verdana at 9.5 to 10.5 points because it appears larger than many other fonts.
- Trebuchet MS
Trebuchet MS offers a modern appearance with slightly more personality than Arial or Calibri.
Advantages
- Clear and approachable
- Strong digital readability
- More distinctive than common corporate fonts
- Suitable for headings and body text
Limitations
- May appear informal in traditional professions
- Character widths can increase page length
- Not as universally used as Arial
Best for
- Communications
- Marketing
- Social media
- Customer experience
- Creative business roles
Recommended Size
Use Trebuchet MS at 10 to 11 points.
- Times New Roman
Times New Roman is a traditional serif font used in academic, legal, and formal documents.
It remains acceptable, but it may make a resume look dated when compared with cleaner alternatives.
Advantages
- Universally recognized
- Formal and professional
- Easy to access on most devices
- Suitable for conservative industries
Limitations
- Can appear outdated
- Frequently associated with default document formatting
- Dense characters may be difficult to scan on a screen
- Does not help a resume look modern
Best for
- Traditional legal roles
- Academia
- Government
- Conservative organizations
Recommended Size
Use Times New Roman at 11 to 12 points.
Cambria or Georgia may offer a more modern alternative while preserving a formal appearance.
What Is the Best Font Size for a Resume?
A resume body font should generally be between 10 and 12 points.
Recommended sizing:
| Resume element | Suggested size |
| Candidate name | 18–24 points |
| Professional title | 12–15 points |
| Section headings | 11–14 points |
| Body text | 10–12 points |
| Contact information | 9.5–11 points |
The exact size depends on the font.
For example:
- Verdana appears large and may work at 9.5 or 10 points.
- Garamond appears smaller and may require 11 or 12 points.
- Arial usually works well at 10.5 or 11 points.
- Calibri and Aptos generally work at 10.5 or 11 points.
- Times New Roman normally requires at least 11 points.
Never make the text so small that recruiters must zoom in to read it.
Can You Use a 9-Point Font on a Resume?
A 9-point font is usually too small for resume body text.
It may be acceptable for:
- A brief footer
- A page number
- A small contact line
- A font that naturally appears large
However, reducing the entire resume to 9 points to fit more information usually harms readability.
Instead:
- Remove outdated roles
- Shorten job descriptions
- Eliminate repetitive bullets
- Reduce excessive spacing
- Adjust margins moderately
- Prioritize relevant achievements
- Use a more space-efficient font
Your resume should not be difficult to read simply to keep it to one page.
Which Fonts Should You Avoid?
Avoid fonts that are decorative, difficult to read, overly casual, or likely to create formatting problems.
Fonts to avoid include:
- Comic Sans
- Papyrus
- Brush Script
- Lobster
- Impact
- Curlz MT
- Monotype Corsiva
- Freestyle Script
- Segoe Script
- Algerian
- Jokerman
- Lucida Handwriting
Also avoid:
- Cursive fonts
- Handwritten fonts
- Decorative display fonts
- Extremely thin fonts
- Condensed fonts that look crowded
- Fonts downloaded from unfamiliar websites
- Uncommon fonts that may be replaced on another device
Your resume font should support your qualifications rather than distract from them.
Common Resume Font Mistakes
- Choosing a Font for Creativity Rather Than Readability –Your font should not compete with your qualifications.
- Using Too Many Fonts –Multiple typefaces can make the resume appear disorganized.
- Making the Font Too Small –Reducing the body text below a comfortable reading size can frustrate recruiters.
- Using Oversized Text –Large body text may make the resume look incomplete or artificially extended.
- Inconsistent Font Sizes –Similar elements should use the same formatting throughout the document.
- Using an Uncommon Font Without Saving as PDF –The recipient’s computer may substitute another font and alter your layout.
- Ignoring Mobile Readability –Recruiters may review applications on phones, tablets, and small laptop screens.
- Using Decorative Capitalization –Writing entire paragraphs in capital letters makes the content harder to read.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What font should a resume be in? A resume should use a clean, professional font such as Arial, Calibri, Aptos, Cambria, Georgia, Helvetica, Garamond, or Verdana.
- What is the best font for a resume? Arial is one of the safest overall choices. Calibri and Aptos are strong modern options, while Cambria and Georgia suit more formal applications.
- What font size should a resume use? Use approximately 10 to 12 points for body text, 11 to 14 points for section headings, and 18 to 24 points for your name.
- Is Arial a good resume font? Yes. Arial is clear, widely supported, professional, and appropriate for most industries.
- Is Calibri acceptable for a resume? Yes. Calibri is readable, compact, and suitable for most corporate and professional roles.
- Is Times New Roman outdated? It remains acceptable, particularly in traditional industries, but Cambria or Georgia may provide a more contemporary formal appearance.
- Can I use different fonts for headings and body text? Yes, but use no more than two complementary fonts. One consistent font is usually simpler and safer.
- What is the best ATS-friendly resume font? Arial, Calibri, Aptos, Cambria, Georgia, Helvetica, and Times New Roman are all reasonable choices. ATS compatibility also depends on the resume’s structure and file format.
- Is 10-point font too small for a resume? Not necessarily. A clear font such as Arial may remain readable at 10 points. Other fonts may require 10.5 or 11 points.
Final Thoughts
When deciding what font should a resume be in, prioritize readability over originality. A strong resume font should be professional, easy to scan, and consistent across digital and printed formats. Arial, Calibri, Aptos, Cambria, Georgia, and Helvetica are suitable for most applications.
Use body text between 10 and 12 points, maintain consistent spacing, and avoid decorative or handwritten fonts. The font should help employers focus on your experience, skills, and achievements, not draw attention to itself.
Improve Your Resume Formatting With BoxResume
Choosing the right font is only one part of building an effective resume. BoxResume helps job seekers create professionally formatted, ATS-friendly resumes with:
Our professional resume writers ensure your document looks polished and clearly communicates the value you offer employers.
- Clear section organization
- Readable typography
- Appropriate font sizing
- Relevant industry keywords
- Measurable accomplishments
- Strong professional summaries
- Consistent formatting
- Targeted career messaging
- Matching cover letters
- Optimized LinkedIn profiles
Get a professional resume review and make sure your content, formatting, and font support your job-search goals.
