Your resume speaks volumes about you when applying for a job. It is used to create first impressions that can either make or break your job search. It is said that the average time a recruiter uses to scan a resume is six seconds.It is therefore important to make your resume readable and eye catching to the recruiter.
The fonts used in resumes matter because using the right font makes it easy for a human or an applicant tracking system to read what you’ve written on your resume. Selecting the wrong fonts could also distract the reader from the content and may slow down the reading speed of the recruiter.
Tips To Follow When Choosing Fonts For Your Resume
- Will an Applicant Tracking System(ATS) be able to read my resume:
If you use an incorrect font, an application tracking system will likely read it as a jumble of words with no meaning.
Choose more traditional fonts to make sure a computer can easily read your resume.
- Take the type of company you’re applying to into account:
It’s crucial to customize your CV for the role and business when applying for a job. When it comes to resume style, many industries, job kinds, and businesses have varied expectations and preferences.
For example, if you are hoping to get a graphic design job, you can showcase your eye for design by being creative with your resume.
The best type of fonts to use;
While Times New Romans is overly used and recommended by many people, there are other traditional fonts you can try out.
They include;
- Calibri
- Garamond
- Gill sans
- Cambria
- Helvetica
- Didot
- Book Antiqua
- Georgia
It is also advisable to use font sizes for your body copy between 10-12 pt.
Headers and sub-sections can be slightly larger at around 11-14 pt.
The worst type of fonts to use
- Childish and unprofessional fonts
You have to communicate your ability to be professional in the workplace to your recruiters.
Avoid fonts like Papyrus, Comic Sans, Wingdings, Marker Felt, or Chalkboard.
- Avoid downloaded, non-standard, or custom fonts:
Any don’t that is designed, downloaded, or customized by you won’t be readable by the ATS program.
- Avoid light, condensed, or narrow fonts
Fonts that are not easy to read or fonts that you have to squint to see the text should not be used when creating a resume.
- Heavily styled fonts
We get that you might want to make your resume look stylish and creative but cursive fonts or other types of heavily styled fonts might be hard to read for some people.
Nonetheless, a resume is a digital document that creates a first impression and fonts are an important aspect of it.
To be safe, stick with common traditional fonts.