The best resume fonts & sizes

Help your resume rise to the top of the applicant pile by using the right font and formatting. The right font can make your resume pass the ATS with flying colors and fall into the hands of your hiring manager. 

Discover experience-led tips on font styles, sizes, and other resume formatting tips to make your resume easy to scan and digest by your recruiter. 

The 5 best resume fonts

So, you’re wondering what's the best resume font and size? Well, it’s not “Times New Roman and size 12”, at least not if you want to make a lasting impression in 2024. With only 7 seconds spent on every resume would you really want to risk becoming another boring read?

Your resume font choice can convey your professionalism and personality—there’s a psychology behind how fonts make us feel. That’s why it’s important to find a font that represents you and supports you in creating a positive first impression. Let’s explore the top ATS-friendly resume fonts recommended by experts at Microsoft Word. 

1. Calibri 

A modern sans serif font, Calibri, has become the corporate gold standard. Simple to read, it exudes professionalism and authority. With bold and light styles, it’s easily adaptable to make the impression you want. It’s a great fit for industries like law, finance and healthcare, or any job where simple professionalism is valued highly.  

See it in action: ATS stylish accounting resume 

2. Montserrat 

Display approachability with this interesting urban font in your resume. Montserrat is a go-to typeface for print advertising and urban street signs, so it’s a natural fit for resumes in creative industries, wellness and real estate. This font without serifs has a bold feel while being extremely clear and easy-to-scan. It can help showcase you as a pleasant candidate.

See it in action: Classic UX UI designer resume

3. Candara  

If you’re looking for a subtly stylish font, Candara is a great choice. This font looks interesting while being easy to read, so it’s a good fit for resumes that are less text heavy. We suggest using this font for internship resumes and software/IT resumes. You can find this original Microsoft ClearType font in every Office product, including Microsoft Word. 

See it in action: Modern web developer resume

4. Cambria 

Give out a reliable vibe with Cambria, a traditional and balanced serif font. It's designed for easy on-screen reading in small text sizes and is definitely an ATS-friendly font. It’s professional and can be applied to any of your resume needs. It will suit roles like management and leadership. It can also be used for engineering and architecture resumes as it supports math and science symbols well. 

See it in action:  Restaurant manager resume

5. Aptos 

The current default Microsoft font is a sleek sans serif font which has a neutral personality, which makes it a good choice for any industry you work in. This ATS-friendly font is easily customizable with style variants of headings and body. It's versatile but we especially recommend it for technology and management resumes.    

See it in action: Simple ATS healthcare resume

How to pick the right resume font for your needs

Now that you know some fonts that are ATS-friendly and easy to scan, understand how you can find the right font for your job application needs. Choosing the right font for your resume based on the job role, industry, and seniority level involves understanding the cultural and professional nuances of each sector, as well as the impression you want to make on your potential employers. Here are some guidelines to help you find the best font for your use. 

Consider the job role and level

Different job roles and seniority levels can influence how creative or formal your resume design and resume font should be. Choose your font by carefully considering the job you're applying for, based on if you’re applying for an entry-level, mid-level or senior position.

For example, Calibri could match a managerial job application, but another font like Montserrat might be able to convey more authority. Think about the impression you want to make! 

Consider the industry 

Each field of work comes with its own playbook of values and expectations. Resumes created for formal industries such as law, medicine, government and finance should convey reliability and professionalism, so fonts like Aptos and Calibri are a natural fit.

Evaluate your existing experience 

Your resume must highlight your skills and experience clearly. The font you choose shouldn't distract from the content of your resume. If your resume is text-heavy, consider a simple font that can be easy to scan. If your resume is shorter or uses more bullet points than paragraphs, you could take more creative liberty.  

Think about your personal brand 

As mentioned above, fonts can make us feel things! Your resume font is an opportunity to showcase your personality and stand out from other applicants. Much like a tie, it can be used to communicate one’s style in the context of the workplace—search for one that aligns with yours. 

Recommended resume font sizes

Change the font size in your resume to help draw the recruiter’s eye to the most important skills and achievements you have on offer. Always prioritize readability and follow these general guidelines if you’re creating a resume from scratch: 

1. Name font size: Use a large font size like 36 points to spotlight your name. While this will depend on your resume’s overall design, you need to ensure it stands out right away. 

2. Paragraph headings font size: Use 11 points in bold styling to make sure your resume headings make an impact.  

3. Headings font size: Use 10 points in body styling to ensure clarity.  

4. Bullet points: Use 8 points to list any skills, achievements, certificates or nice-to-have information. Unsure what to write in your bullet points? Explore our guide on how to write a resume.  

Out of time, or want to make your resume creation simpler? Get started with an ATS-friendly resume template on Word. 

If you want to continue with a custom resume, read our tips to ensure your resume is machine-readable. 

ATS-friendly resume formatting tips 

Optimize your resume to be easily screened and selected by applicant tracking systems (ATS), which read content from left-to-right. You can get closer to landing your dream role, if you keep these resume formatting tips top of mind:  

Resume formatting do’s 

• Use heading styles to highlight section titles

• Use standard capitalization (rather than lowercase or all caps) 

• Use standard line spacing  

• Use 1-2 font colors like black and grey or black and navy for improved accessibility 

• Use Normal margins (1”) instead of Narrow margin settings (0.5”) for readability 

Resume formatting don’ts 

• Don’t use italics styling for any important information 

• Don’t underline text 

• Don’t use icons or graphics to indicate skills—simply use text 

• Don’t create tables as ATS can’t interpret it logically 

• Don’t use more than 2 fonts  

Next steps in your job search

Craft your cover letter 

Pair your resume with a tailored cover letter addressed to the hiring manager to help you stand out from other applicants and express your professional edge. Learn how to write a cover letter in a few easy steps. 

Update your LinkedIn profile to match your resume

Level up your LinkedIn to match your resume, latest skills and job aspirations. Hiring managers often verify credentials and social presence, so audit and improve your profile before you receive visitors. 

Ready to draft your resume with the right font? Speed up your resume creation by choosing an editable, professionally designed resume template in Microsoft Word. Get started with the resume builder.