Best Resume Fonts: What Actually Works in 2026

Let me share something that might surprise you. In 15 years of recruiting, I've never rejected a candidate because of their font choice. But I've rejected candidates because I couldn't read their resume quickly — and font played a role in that.

The goal isn't to impress anyone with typography. It's to remove friction. Your font should be invisible, letting your content communicate without interference. The moment someone notices your font — because it's unusual, too small, or hard to read — you've lost their attention 😏

This guide covers font choices that work, sizes that read well, and mistakes that hurt your chances.

Your resume has to survive two very different readers.

The ATS Filter

Over 90% of large employers use Applicant Tracking Systems to process resumes. These systems parse your document, extract text, and match it against job requirements.

Standard fonts parse reliably. Unusual fonts can create parsing errors — characters may convert incorrectly, words may merge or disappear, and your carefully crafted content becomes unreadable data.

This isn't about being creative or standing out. It's about being readable 💡

The Human Scanner

Once your resume reaches a recruiter, they spend approximately 6-7 seconds on initial review. In those seconds, clean typography enables scanning. Cramped, fancy, or unusual fonts create cognitive friction that slows reading.

Recruiters process hundreds of resumes. Anything that makes their job harder reduces your chances.

These fonts work reliably across ATS systems, operating platforms, and human readers.

Top Sans-Serif Choices

Sans-serif fonts have clean, modern lines without decorative elements. They're the standard for most industries today.

• Calibri*

The default Microsoft font since 2007, Calibri is now the most common resume font. It's clean, readable, and efficient with space. Works everywhere, offends no one.

• Best for:* Any industry, especially business, tech, and modern corporations
• Size:* 11-12pt body text
• Arial*

The classic safe choice. Arial works on every system, parses perfectly through ATS, and reads clearly at any size. Some consider it dated, but dated is better than problematic.

• Best for:* Traditional corporations, government, maximum compatibility
• Size:* 10.5-11pt body text
• Helvetica*

The designer's favorite. Clean, elegant, and professional without being boring. Standard on Mac systems but may require embedding for Windows-based ATS 😉

• Best for:* Tech, design, creative industries
• Size:* 10-11pt body text
• Roboto*

Google's modern sans-serif. Clean geometry with good readability. Works well for tech roles and digital-first companies.

• Best for:* Tech startups, digital roles
• Size:* 10-11pt body text

Top Serif Choices

Serif fonts have small decorative strokes at letter endings. They convey tradition and authority, working well in conservative industries.

• Georgia*

Designed specifically for screen readability. Georgia has a larger x-height than most serif fonts, making it readable at smaller sizes. Good balance of traditional and modern.

• Best for:* Law, academia, editorial roles
• Size:* 10.5-11pt body text
• Garamond*

A classic, elegant serif that's more space-efficient than Times New Roman. Conveys sophistication without stuffiness.

• Best for:* Finance, consulting, traditional industries
• Size:* 11-12pt body text
• Cambria*

Microsoft's modern serif, designed for on-screen clarity. Robust and professional, with excellent ATS compatibility.

• Best for:* Finance, education, government
• Size:* 11pt body text

Quick Comparison Table

| Font | Style | Best Industries | Body Size | ATS Safety ||------|-------|-----------------|-----------|------------|| Calibri | Sans-serif | Universal | 11-12pt | Excellent || Arial | Sans-serif | Traditional/Government | 10.5-11pt | Excellent || Helvetica | Sans-serif | Tech/Creative | 10-11pt | Good || Georgia | Serif | Law/Academia | 10.5-11pt | Excellent || Garamond | Serif | Finance/Consulting | 11-12pt | Good || Cambria | Serif | Finance/Education | 11pt | Excellent |

Some fonts actively hurt your application. If you're using any of these, change immediately.

• Comic Sans* — Never appropriate for professional documents. Signals poor judgment.
• Papyrus* — Looks outdated and unprofessional. Often associated with amateur design.
• Courier* — Monospaced typewriter font that wastes space and looks like a draft.
• Brush Script / Any script font* — Difficult to read and almost impossible for ATS to parse correctly.
• Impact* — Too heavy for body text. Designed for headlines, not resumes.
• Decorative or novelty fonts* — Anything with unusual styling, shadows, or effects has no place on a professional resume 😅

The rule is simple: if someone notices your font, you've made the wrong choice.

Size matters as much as typeface. Too small becomes unreadable. Too large looks unprofessional.

Recommended Sizes by Section

| Section | Recommended Size | Acceptable Range ||---------|------------------|------------------|| Your Name | 18-22pt | 16-24pt || Section Headers | 14-16pt | 12-16pt || Job Titles | 11-12pt | 10-12pt || Body Text | 11pt | 10-12pt || Contact Info | 10-11pt | 9-11pt |

The Readability Test

Before sending your resume:

1. Print test: Print your resume on standard paper. Can you read everything comfortably at arm's length? If you're squinting, increase the size.
2. Screen test: View your PDF at 100% zoom on a standard laptop. Is the text clear without straining?
3. Mobile test: Open your resume on a phone. While not ideal for detailed reading, your name and section headers should be visible.

If any text falls below 10pt, reconsider your layout. Cramming more content at the expense of readability never works 💡

For more on layout and formatting, see our resume formats guide.

The serif/sans-serif decision depends on your industry and the document's primary reading context.

When to Choose Sans-Serif

Sans-serif fonts work better for:

• Digital-first applications: Most resumes are read on screens, where sans-serif fonts are clearer
• Modern industries: Tech, startups, marketing, and contemporary business
• General applications: When you're not sure what the employer prefers

Sans-serif signals: modern, efficient, forward-thinking.

When to Choose Serif

Serif fonts work better for:

• Traditional industries: Law, finance, academia, government
• Senior-level positions: Where gravitas and authority matter
• Print-heavy contexts: Some firms still print resumes for interviews

Serif signals: established, authoritative, classic.

The Hybrid Approach

Some candidates use two fonts — one for headers, one for body text. This can work if done carefully:

• The rule:* Pair one serif with one sans-serif. Never use two of the same type.
• Example combinations:*
• Headers: Helvetica Bold → Body: Georgia
• Headers: Arial Bold → Body: Garamond

Keep it simple. One font with varied weights usually creates cleaner results than font pairing 😊

Your font choice affects how ATS systems process your resume.

Why Standard Fonts Matter

ATS systems recognize and correctly parse standard fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, and Times New Roman. These fonts:

• Map characters correctly during text extraction
• Maintain proper spacing and formatting
• Convert reliably to searchable text

Unusual fonts may cause parsing errors where characters don't convert correctly, making your resume unsearchable.

Testing Your Resume

Before sending any application:

1. Save your resume as PDF
2. Open the PDF
3. Select all text (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A)
4. Copy and paste into a plain text editor

Review the result. Does your text appear correctly? Are words complete? Is spacing reasonable?

If you see garbled characters, missing words, or merged text, your font or formatting is causing problems.

Safe Font Checklist

• Calibri ✓
• Arial ✓
• Helvetica ✓ (with embedding)
• Georgia ✓
• Garamond ✓
• Cambria ✓
• Times New Roman ✓
• Verdana ✓
• Trebuchet MS ✓

Avoid: Any font you downloaded, any font with unusual characters, any decorative or script font 🚀

For comprehensive ATS guidance, see our resume checklist.

Different sectors have different expectations. Match your font to your target industry.

Technology and Startups

• Recommended:* Calibri, Helvetica, Roboto, Open Sans

Tech companies expect modern, clean design. Sans-serif fonts signal that you understand contemporary aesthetics. Avoid anything that looks traditional or dated.

Finance and Consulting

• Recommended:* Garamond, Cambria, Georgia, Calibri

These industries value professionalism and attention to detail. Either a clean serif or professional sans-serif works. Avoid anything that looks trendy.

Law and Government

• Recommended:* Times New Roman, Georgia, Cambria

Conservative industries expect conservative presentation. Serif fonts convey authority and tradition. Sans-serif can work but should be extremely clean.

Creative and Marketing

• Recommended:* Helvetica, Calibri, Open Sans

Creative fields allow slightly more design flexibility, but readability remains paramount. Clean sans-serif fonts work best. Save creative expression for your portfolio, not your resume font 💡

Healthcare and Education

• Recommended:* Calibri, Georgia, Cambria

Professional and accessible. Either serif or sans-serif works, as long as it's clean and readable. Avoid anything unusual.

Mixing Too Many Fonts

Your resume should use one font, maybe two at most. More than that creates visual chaos and signals poor design judgment.

• Instead:* Use one font with different weights (regular for body, bold for headers) and sizes to create hierarchy.

Using Decorative Fonts for Headers

Even if body text is professional, decorative header fonts look unprofessional. Section headers should be clean and clear, just larger or bolder than body text.

Going Too Small to Fit More Content

If you're reducing font size below 10pt to fit content, your resume has too much content. Edit your content rather than shrinking your font.

• Better approach:* Focus on recent, relevant experience. Remove older or less relevant details. A readable one-page resume beats an unreadable two-page resume.

Inconsistent Formatting

If your job titles are 12pt bold in one section and 11pt italic in another, you look careless. Establish a system and apply it consistently throughout.

Ignoring Line Spacing

Font size alone doesn't determine readability. Line spacing (leading) matters too. Dense text with no breathing room is hard to scan, regardless of font choice.

• Recommendation:* Use 1.0 to 1.15 line spacing for body text. Add extra space between sections 😉

Create Visual Hierarchy

Your resume should have clear levels:

1. Your name: Largest text on the page
2. Section headers: Clearly visible, consistently formatted
3. Job titles/companies: Stand out from body text
4. Body text: Clean and readable
5. Contact info: Present but not dominant

This hierarchy helps recruiters navigate quickly.

Use Bold and Italics Purposefully

Bold draws attention. Use it for:

• Your name
• Section headers
• Job titles

Italics signal secondary information. Use it for:

• Company names
• Dates
• Locations

Don't overuse either. If everything is bold, nothing stands out.

Maintain Consistent Margins

Font choice affects how much content fits on your page. Standard margins (0.5-1 inch) provide enough white space for readability. Don't shrink margins to compensate for large fonts — adjust your content instead.

For more on structuring your resume, see our guide on one-page resumes.

Font choice should support your content, not distract from it. The best font is one nobody notices because they're focused on your qualifications.

• The essentials:*

1. Choose standard fonts — Calibri, Arial, Georgia are safe for any application
2. Use 10-12pt for body text — anything smaller becomes unreadable
3. Match industry expectations — serif for traditional, sans-serif for modern
4. Test ATS compatibility — paste your resume into plain text and verify
5. Be consistent — one font, consistent sizing, clear hierarchy
6. Prioritize readability — if it's hard to read, it won't get read

The candidates who get interviews don't have fancy typography. They have clear, readable resumes that communicate their value efficiently.

CVTOWORK provides templates with professionally selected fonts and formatting, optimized for both ATS systems and human readers. The design decisions are handled — you focus on content.

Now open your resume. Is your font clean and readable? Is your sizing consistent? If anything looks cramped or unusual, you know what to fix 🚀