Best Fonts For Resumes

Your resume has about six-seconds to make a good impression on a hiring manager. The right font is key to success. MyFonts offers the largest number of resume friendly fonts, of any provider. Read on, to find out which are the best for your individual needs. You’ll not only learn the best fonts for resumes, but also some valuable tips on how to use them.

Four Things You Should Know About Fonts For Resumes

Serif v. Sans

A serif is a line crossing the main strokes of a character, and an outgrowth of early calligraphic lettering. There are many varieties. Sans serif typefaces have no serifs. Both serif and sans serif fonts can create powerful resumes. Some believe that sans serif typefaces are more straight forward designs, while others contend that serif typefaces are somewhat more legible. The fonts the MyFonts type experts have chosen, as the best for resumes, are highly legible and easy to read. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

Free System & Application Fonts

Free fonts may not be the best for resumes. Operating systems and many applications provide “free” fonts. These include Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, Verdana, etc. They are good communication tools but, because of their ubiquity, will not make your resume stand out from the crowd.

Best Weights and Sizes

Font families offer many weights and variations. Some over 50. The MyFonts type experts have taken the guesswork out of determining which are best for resumes. The Roman (sometimes called “Book,” or “Regular”), Italic and Bold (sometimes called “Semibold”) fonts create hierarchy in resumes. Very bold fonts are best for the most important information – like your name. Bold Italic fonts, almost always, introduce too many layers of hierarchy.

24-point is a good size for your name-heading on a resume, but it can be as large as 36-point. Headings are usually 16-point to 18-point, and 12-point is almost always the best size for resume content. Larger, and your resume will appear ponderous and uninviting to read. Smaller sizes may allow you to pack in more information, but will be somewhat more difficult to read.

B&W v. Color

Color can lead the reader’s eye to the key point, the benefit, or the bottom line. Color can also indicate ranking of information. A page that is awash in color, however, is just graphic noise. It is its rarity that makes color noticeable and powerful.

Color must be more than a typographic embellishment. It should work for its living by giving added value. Whether it’s for running heads (like Education, Work Related Experience, Skills, etc.) or simple list-bullets, the color plan and palette should be part of the initial design process. Color should not be an afterthought, or a decoration.

Fonts For Resumes

Helvetica® Now

Helvetica Now is the newest Helvetica design. A vast improvement over previous designs, it is a classic, recreated for the 21st Century – and only available from MyFonts, and its family of font providers. A solid communicator, easy on the eyes and remarkably legible, Helvetica Now says, “I’m here, I’m proven and I’m ready.”

Avenir® Next

Avenir means “future,” in French. It’s a modern, forward-looking design that is destine to secure your future. The letters in Avenir are based on simple geometric shapes, softened with subtle calligraphic overtones. It’s contemporary without being harsh, and inviting to read.

Neue Frutiger®

Neue means “new” in German. Neue Frutiger is an updated and improved version of the original sans serif classic – and is only available from MyFonts, and its family of font providers. Neue Frutiger melds classic sans serif design traits with echoes of classic inscriptional letters. Many claim that it is one of the most legible and most easily read of the sans serif typefaces.

PMN Caecilia®

PMN Caecilia has sturdy slab serifs that give the design an honest straight-forward vibe. Their softened corners also create a sense of affability. In addition, PMN Caecilia’s proportionally large lowercase letters, also make it easy to read. The result is a solid and stylish typeface design that checks all the boxes.

Mercury® Text

Mercury is high performance meets high style. The product of nine years’ research and development, it’s a family of powerful typefaces designed to thrive under the most adverse conditions – and remain a handsome communicator, at the same time. Mercury’s compact proportions and clear character shapes, naturally reproduce well in small sizes, while losing none of the font’s personality and charm.

Sabon Next®

Sabon Next is patterned after classic Renaissance typefaces. The design is reader friendly, while maintaining all the grace and elegance of some of the earliest printing types. It makes a statement, without calling attention to itself. Sabon benefits from the relatively large and soft serifs which aid the reading process and give the design a friendly demeanor.

FF Meta®

Meta was designed to be economical of space and easy reading at small sizes. It’s clean and cheery, with a distinctive mien. and its ability to serve well in multiple design capacities including office documentation and correspondence. Meta is an excellent typeface to use when you have a lot to say, and not much space to say it.