{"id":740,"date":"2024-04-24T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coworkingspacesforruralamerica.org\/?p=740"},"modified":"2024-04-27T12:05:32","modified_gmt":"2024-04-27T12:05:32","slug":"the-best-fonts-for-your-resume-in-2024-according-to-hubspot-recruiters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coworkingspacesforruralamerica.org\/index.php\/2024\/04\/24\/the-best-fonts-for-your-resume-in-2024-according-to-hubspot-recruiters\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Fonts for Your Resume in 2024, According to HubSpot Recruiters"},"content":{"rendered":"
Besides your content, using one of the best fonts for resumes may help you get a recruiter\u2019s attention. Studies have shown recruiters typically scan a resume for six to thirty seconds<\/a> before deciding if an applicant is fit for a role.<\/p>\n With only a few seconds to demonstrate your qualifications for a position, every detail counts \u2014 including the font you use. The question is, what are the best resume fonts to pass the six to thirty-seconds scan?<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n I asked HubSpot recruiters to reveal the seven best fonts for your resume and what they consider in terms of design \u200cso your resume can stand out in a pile.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Download Now<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Here\u2019s a hot take \u2014 I don\u2019t think there is one best font for a resume.<\/p>\n I think most folks would lean toward Times New Roman or Calibri, but there are so many factors that go into choosing a font that works best for you.<\/p>\n So, my non-answer is \u2026 it depends.<\/p>\n If I absolutely had to pick my favorite, I\u2019m going with Helvetica because it\u2019s clean, simple, and easy to read (even in smaller sizes). Plus, it\u2019s available on most, if not all, devices.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t take my word for it. Let\u2019s hear what the experts have to say.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n To evoke a sense of style, professionalism, and uniqueness, you must put effort and consideration into your font choice. When speaking with recruiters, it quickly became apparent that classic fonts are still the best options.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a big fan of the ‘classics’ for resumes \u2014 Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, and Cambria. I\u2019m a little old school, but I think they are the cleanest and exude professionalism,\u201d said Johanna Fleming<\/span><\/a>, a former senior recruiter at HubSpot.<\/p>\n Riley Kundtz<\/span><\/a>, the former senior MBA campus recruiter at HubSpot, agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cI find the classic formatting and Times font helpful when reading a dense resume from an experienced MBA candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n Times New Roman has become a bit controversial lately. It was the go-to font for many years because it\u2019s traditional and recognizable, but lately, some are opting against it.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, it\u2019s all about legibility and cleanliness. I prefer sans-serif fonts like Helvetica, which is modern and elegant, over serif fonts like Times New Roman,\u201d says Glory Montes<\/a>, a technical recruiter at HubSpot.<\/p>\n \u201cOverall, I would just stay away from a font like Times New Roman; it\u2019s overused and reminds me of long nights writing course papers in college,\u201d adds Glory.<\/p>\n Georgia is one font The New York Times uses and is similar to Times New Roman. It\u2019s a bit wider, making it easier to read.<\/p>\n Paulina Valdez Franco, former executive recruiter at HubSpot, agrees with this take.<\/p>\n \u201cMy two favorite fonts are Helvetica if you’re looking for a clean and classic look, and Georgia, if you want a more modern and fun look,\u201d she said. \u201cThe latter is also designed to read well on screens.\u201d<\/p>\n Helvetica is widely used in advertising and works equally well for text-heavy pages and documents.<\/p>\n A lesser-known font that\u2019s a great option for your resume is Garamond, recommended by our former team lead of engineering recruiting at HubSpot, Rich Lapham<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cRecruiters have an idea of the skills they are looking for on a resume, so if you try a new style or format, it can be tougher for recruiters to find the information they are looking for,\u201d he said. \u201cKeep it clean and simple.\u201d<\/p>\n Franco added that Arial and Calibri are great choices to play it safe.<\/p>\n Bridget LeMon<\/span><\/a>, HubSpot’s global emerging talent and university recruiting senior manager, echoes this.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s totally acceptable \u2013 and becoming more common \u2013 for candidates to stray away from the resume norms of Times New Roman and Calibri,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n \u201cAvenir Next and Muna are two excellent font options if you are looking to break the status quo.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, you\u2018ll want to consider the position you\u2019re applying for when choosing a font. To Glory Montes\u2019 point, certain more creative roles might benefit from a unique font than Times New Roman.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n 1. Times New Roman<\/span><\/p>\n Times New Roman font has been popular for resumes for decades.<\/p>\n This serif option is easy-to-read and communicates formality. Online, the font is uniform and accessible across various platforms and operating systems.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> Word documents. PDFs can host unique fonts. However, a standard font will be helpful if your resume is uploaded as a Word document.<\/p>\n Arial is a sans-serif font that has become popular for its clean and modern look. <\/p>\n Arial’s straightforward and minimalist design has made it a popular choice for applicants targeting creative positions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> Resumes submitted online, where readability is essential for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used in recruitment.<\/p>\n Avenir Next is a modern typeface gaining popularity among designers and recruiters. Avenir Next’s appearance is characterized by its geometric shapes, open contours, and strong lines.<\/p>\n Its clean, contemporary look has become a popular font choice for resumes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What I love: <\/strong>Avenir Next is a scalable font. It maintains its readability even at small sizes, and its geometric shapes make it a perfect choice for digital resumes.<\/p>\n Helvetica is a widely recognized and popular font used on resumes, particularly in the design industry.<\/p>\n It\u2019s clean, classic, and timeless. This font is popular with professionals, design enthusiasts, typographers, and Wes Anderson.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What I love:<\/strong> The font is available in multiple weights, making it easier to differentiate headings and sections in the resume.<\/p>\n Calibri is a contemporary design, making it a popular choice for creating a visually appealing and easy-to-read resume.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> Calibri offers a sense of uniformity across different platforms, making it an accessible and reliable option for applicants.<\/p>\n Cambria’s classic design features elegant serifs, making it a perfect choice for job seekers. You can easily create a traditional, professional-looking resume that stands out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>Cambria’s generous spacing between characters and lines makes the resume much easier to read and stands out from other fonts.<\/p>\n Georgia is a traditional serif font that has been a popular choice for resumes due to its elegant and classic look.<\/p>\n Georgia’s unique design features distinguishable serifs that give it a professional appearance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>The font’s design combines traditional and modern aesthetics, making it a versatile option for job seekers applying for a wide range of positions.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Most recruiters I spoke with were hesitant to offer a font. Instead, they focus on the content.<\/p>\n \u201cI rarely pay too much attention to fonts,\u201d said Heta Patel<\/span><\/a>, a former HubSpot recruiter. \u201cI’m more concerned to see a resume that\u2019s formatted neatly \u2013 submitting a PDF is helpful with this, so your formatting doesn’t shift.\u201d<\/p>\n Sales Recruiting Manager Kelsey Freedman<\/span><\/a> agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, I care little about the font of a resume, as long as it’s clear and in PDF format,” Freedman said. “I typically review a resume for 20 to 30 seconds, so a traditional font is good.”<\/p>\n Freedman continued, “I would advise avoiding script font or bubble font, or similar fonts that are distracting.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, and as expected, your content still matters most. However, a clear font will help avoid any irritability you might cause a recruiter with a distracting, messy design.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I get most excited about is the content. Depending on the role, I look to see that candidates are sharing direct and compelling snapshots of their work,\u201d said Ashley Hodder<\/span><\/a>, a global recruiting manager at HubSpot.<\/p>\n \u201cI look for indicators that show data orientation, autonomy, and thoughtfulness about business impact,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n While some recruiters may not have suggestions for the best fonts, many can agree on some of the worst ones.<\/p>\n \u201cAnything that is cursive or too bubbly is too hard to read. For instance, I’d stay clear of Comic Sans,\u201d says Holly Peterson<\/span><\/a>, team lead for management and research recruiting HubSpot.<\/p>\n Another resume font type to avoid is Script.<\/p>\n With text-heavy documents, Scripts, and any of their derivatives make text hard to read because they look like they\u2019re written by hand.<\/p>\n They\u2019re generally used in hand lettering and calligraphy for artistic projects and shouldn\u2019t be present anywhere near your resume.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n When asked which font size <\/em>is best, Fleming said 12 is ideal. Most recruiters would agree.<\/p>\n Your text should be large enough to read comfortably without straining but small enough that there\u2019s space to include all key elements, such as your objective, contact information, skills, and experience.<\/p>\n You can use larger font sizes for headings containing your name and section titles.<\/p>\n If your font is extensive, you can scale to 10.5 \u2014 but never go below it.<\/p>\n The critical takeaway is to make your resume clear and easy to read, which means keeping the font size around 12, sticking to classic fonts with modern twists, and forsaking your favorite script font.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n It\u2019s important to keep industry nuances in mind as you\u2019re writing. <\/p>\n For example, a seasoned graphic designer wouldn\u2019t dare use Comic Sans. And the standard font for most legal documents is Times New Roman.<\/p>\n This is not to say your resume font will make or break your chances of getting the job. But this small step can help demonstrate your attention to detail and your experience in the field.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>Whenever I\u2019m refreshing my resume, I like to browse examples in my industry<\/span><\/a> for inspiration. It helps me make sure that I\u2019m aligning the overall style with the position I\u2019m applying for.<\/p>\n This is especially useful when I\u2019ve been out of the job market for a while.<\/p>\n Font consistency is just as important as font type and size. It can be confusing for recruiters if you\u2019re switching back and forth between fonts.<\/p>\n And as I mentioned, you have about 30 seconds tops to make an impression. Make your resume scannable and easy-to-read at a glance.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> If you\u2019re going to mix fonts, at least make sure all text levels are the same throughout. For example, all titles and headers should be the same, and all paragraph fonts should match.<\/p>\n It\u2019s fun to introduce colors into your resume \u2014 whether it\u2019s background colors or adding some flare to your titles and headers.<\/p>\n But the most important part is readability. Don\u2019t get carried away with bright or busy colors. You\u2019ll end up taking away from the content on the page.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>You can use a color contrast checker<\/span><\/a> to make sure your resume is accessible and legible.<\/p>\n Similar to font consistency, you\u2019ll want to make sure your resume is well-formatted and organized.<\/p>\n Use headers to break up your sections, make sure your margins are at least half an inch on all sides, and use a font type with optimal clarity.<\/p>\n Recruiters get thousands of resumes per job listing. Make sure your resume catches their eye for good reason \u2014 not bad.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> Just because your resume looks good on your computer, doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019ll look good on all<\/em> computers. Save and send your resume as a PDF to ensure the formatting stays constant wherever it goes.<\/p>\n\n
Featured Resource:<\/strong> 12 Free Resume Templates<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n
What is the best font for a resume?<\/h2>\n
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Expert Advice on Choosing the Right Font<\/h2>\n
Best Fonts for Resume<\/h2>\n
Advantages<\/h4>\n
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Disadvantages<\/h4>\n
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2. Arial<\/h3>\n
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Disadvantages<\/h4>\n
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3. Avenir Next<\/h3>\n
Advantages<\/h4>\n
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Disadvantages<\/h4>\n
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4. Helvetica<\/h3>\n
Advantages<\/h4>\n
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Disadvantages<\/h4>\n
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5. Calibri<\/h3>\n
Advantages<\/h4>\n
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Disadvantages<\/h4>\n
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6. Cambria<\/h3>\n
Advantages<\/h4>\n
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Disadvantages<\/h4>\n
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7. Georgia<\/h3>\n
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Disadvantages<\/h4>\n
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Does using the best resume fonts even matter?<\/h2>\n
Worst Resume Fonts<\/h2>\n
Ideal Resume Font Size<\/h2>\n
Resume Font Tips<\/h2>\n
1. Choose a font that\u2019s best suited for your industry.<\/h3>\n
2. Keep the font consistent throughout.<\/h3>\n
3. Be mindful of contrast and colors.<\/h3>\n
4. Pay attention to formatting.<\/h3>\n