{"id":3585,"date":"2025-03-18T07:46:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T07:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/?p=3585"},"modified":"2026-09-17T08:18:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T08:18:54","slug":"best-fonts-for-a-resume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/best-fonts-for-a-resume\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Fonts for Your Resume: ATS-Safe Picks &amp; Formatting Guide\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Blog summary: <\/em><\/strong><em>Calibri and Arial are the safest resume fonts for most job seekers, while Georgia, Helvetica, and Garamond offer more style without sacrificing readability. Keep body text between 10\u201312pt, use standard weights, and avoid decorative or script fonts. For ATS compatibility, simple formatting matters just as much as the font itself.<\/em><br>Recruiters skim resumes in seconds. The wrong font makes that skim harder; the right one gets out of the way. Below are the best fonts for a resume in 2026, ranked, with an ATS-safety note for each. We\u2019ve also added a full comparison table if you want to look beyond the top 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re starting from scratch, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jumpresumebuilder.com\/\">resume builder<\/a> can also help you apply the right font, spacing, and layout without formatting everything manually. Choose a template that keeps your resume clean, readable, and ATS-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top 5 Best Fonts for Resume<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<style>\n  @import url('https:\/\/cdnjs.cloudflare.com\/ajax\/libs\/font-awesome\/6.4.0\/css\/all.min.css');\n  @import url('https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=EB+Garamond:wght@400;600;700&display=swap');\n\n  \/* Root container reset & full-width enforcement *\/\n  .resume-fonts-wrapper {\n    width: 100% !important;\n    max-width: 100% !important;\n    box-sizing: border-box !important;\n    margin: 1.5rem 0 !important;\n    font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, sans-serif;\n  }\n\n  .resume-fonts-wrapper * {\n    box-sizing: border-box !important;\n  }\n\n  \/* Scoped font-family definitions *\/\n  .font-preview-calibri {\n    font-family: Calibri, Carlito, 'Segoe UI', Candara, Optima, source-sans-pro, sans-serif !important;\n  }\n  .font-preview-arial {\n    font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif !important;\n  }\n  .font-preview-georgia {\n    font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif !important;\n  }\n  .font-preview-helvetica {\n    font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif !important;\n  }\n  .font-preview-garamond {\n    font-family: 'EB Garamond', Garamond, 'Garamond Premr Pro', 'Cormorant Garamond', Georgia, serif !important;\n  }\n\n  \/* Interactive card hover transitions *\/\n  .resume-font-card {\n    transition: all 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1);\n  }\n  .resume-font-card:hover {\n    transform: translateY(-2px);\n    box-shadow: 0 12px 24px -6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06), 0 4px 8px -2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03);\n  }\n\n  \/* Mobile Preview Scrollbar Styling *\/\n  .preview-scroll-container::-webkit-scrollbar {\n    height: 4px;\n  }\n  .preview-scroll-container::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb {\n    background: #cbd5e1;\n    border-radius: 4px;\n  }\n<\/style>\n\n<!-- Tailwind CSS CDN for utility styles -->\n<script src=\"https:\/\/cdn.tailwindcss.com\"><\/script>\n\n<div class=\"resume-fonts-wrapper bg-white p-4 sm:p-8 rounded-2xl border border-gray-200\/80 shadow-sm text-gray-800\">\n\n  <!-- Header Block -->\n  <div class=\"mb-6 sm:mb-8 pb-5 sm:pb-6 border-b border-gray-100\">\n    <div class=\"flex flex-col sm:flex-row sm:items-center justify-between gap-4 mb-3\">\n      <div>\n        <span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 px-3 py-1 rounded-full text-xs font-semibold bg-blue-50 text-blue-700 border border-blue-100\/80 mb-2\">\n          <i class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-amber-400\"><\/i> 2026 Rankings\n        <\/span>\n        <h2 class=\"text-2xl sm:text-3xl font-bold text-gray-900 tracking-tight my-1\">\n          Top 5 Best Fonts for Resume\n        <\/h2>\n      <\/div>\n      \n      <!-- Interactive Custom Text Toggle Button -->\n      <button \n        type=\"button\"\n        onclick=\"toggleInteractiveTester()\" \n        class=\"inline-flex items-center justify-center gap-2 px-4 py-2.5 bg-emerald-600 hover:bg-emerald-700 active:bg-emerald-800 text-white text-sm font-semibold rounded-xl transition-all shadow-sm shrink-0\">\n        <i class=\"fa-solid fa-sliders text-xs\"><\/i>\n        <span>Test Custom Text<\/span>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <p class=\"text-sm sm:text-base text-gray-600 leading-relaxed max-w-none m-0\">\n      These five show up again and again as the safest, most-recommended choices across hiring guides, resume tools, and ATS testing. Start here if you just want an answer.\n    <\/p>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div id=\"interactiveTesterDrawer\" class=\"hidden mb-6 sm:mb-8 p-4 sm:p-5 bg-blue-50\/60 rounded-xl border border-blue-100 transition-all\">\n    <div class=\"flex items-center justify-between mb-2.5\">\n      <label for=\"customTextInput\" class=\"text-xs font-bold text-blue-900 uppercase tracking-wider flex items-center gap-2\">\n        <i class=\"fa-solid fa-pen-to-square\"><\/i> Type your name &#038; target title:\n      <\/label>\n      <button \n        type=\"button\" \n        onclick=\"resetCustomText()\" \n        class=\"text-xs text-blue-600 hover:text-blue-800 font-semibold underline cursor-pointer\">\n        Reset\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    <input \n      type=\"text\" \n      id=\"customTextInput\" \n      value=\"Jordan Lee \u2014 Senior Marketing Manager\" \n      oninput=\"updateAllPreviews(this.value)\"\n      class=\"w-full px-3.5 py-2.5 sm:px-4 sm:py-3 bg-white border border-blue-200 rounded-lg text-gray-900 font-medium text-sm sm:text-base focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500 focus:border-blue-500 outline-none transition shadow-sm\"\n      placeholder=\"Type custom text...\"\n    \/>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"space-y-5 sm:space-y-6 w-full\">\n\n    <!-- 1. CALIBRI -->\n    <article class=\"resume-font-card bg-white rounded-xl border border-gray-200\/90 overflow-hidden w-full\">\n      <div class=\"p-4 sm:p-6\">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2.5 sm:gap-3 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4\">\n          <div class=\"flex items-center gap-2.5 sm:gap-3\">\n            <span class=\"flex items-center justify-center w-7 h-7 sm:w-8 sm:h-8 rounded-lg bg-blue-600 text-white font-bold text-xs sm:text-sm shrink-0\">\n              1\n            <\/span>\n            <h3 class=\"text-lg sm:text-2xl font-bold text-gray-900 font-preview-calibri m-0\">\n              Calibri\n            <\/h3>\n            <span class=\"text-[11px] sm:text-xs px-2 py-0.5 sm:px-2.5 sm:py-1 bg-gray-100 text-gray-600 font-medium rounded-md border border-gray-200\/50\">\n              Sans-Serif\n            <\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 px-2.5 py-1 sm:px-3 sm:py-1 rounded-full text-[11px] sm:text-xs font-semibold bg-emerald-50 text-emerald-800 border border-emerald-200\/70\">\n            <i class=\"fa-solid fa-shield-check text-emerald-600\"><\/i>\n            <span>100% ATS Safe (Single Safest Choice)<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"preview-scroll-container p-3 sm:p-5 bg-gray-50\/90 rounded-lg border border-gray-100 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4 w-full overflow-x-auto\">\n          <span class=\"text-[10px] uppercase font-bold tracking-wider text-gray-400 block mb-1\">Visual Preview<\/span>\n          <div class=\"font-preview-element font-preview-calibri text-base sm:text-lg md:text-xl font-semibold text-gray-900 whitespace-nowrap min-w-max\">\n            Jordan Lee \u2014 Senior Marketing Manager\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <p class=\"text-gray-600 text-xs sm:text-base leading-relaxed m-0\">\n          Microsoft&#8217;s default font since 2007. It&#8217;s installed on nearly every Windows machine and parses cleanly across every major ATS. If you want the single safest choice with zero downside, this is it.\n        <\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/article>\n\n    <!-- 2. ARIAL -->\n    <article class=\"resume-font-card bg-white rounded-xl border border-gray-200\/90 overflow-hidden w-full\">\n      <div class=\"p-4 sm:p-6\">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2.5 sm:gap-3 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4\">\n          <div class=\"flex items-center gap-2.5 sm:gap-3\">\n            <span class=\"flex items-center justify-center w-7 h-7 sm:w-8 sm:h-8 rounded-lg bg-blue-600 text-white font-bold text-xs sm:text-sm shrink-0\">\n              2\n            <\/span>\n            <h3 class=\"text-lg sm:text-2xl font-bold text-gray-900 font-preview-arial m-0\">\n              Arial\n            <\/h3>\n            <span class=\"text-[11px] sm:text-xs px-2 py-0.5 sm:px-2.5 sm:py-1 bg-gray-100 text-gray-600 font-medium rounded-md border border-gray-200\/50\">\n              Sans-Serif\n            <\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 px-2.5 py-1 sm:px-3 sm:py-1 rounded-full text-[11px] sm:text-xs font-semibold bg-emerald-50 text-emerald-800 border border-emerald-200\/70\">\n            <i class=\"fa-solid fa-shield-check text-emerald-600\"><\/i>\n            <span>100% ATS Safe (Universally Recognized)<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"preview-scroll-container p-3 sm:p-5 bg-gray-50\/90 rounded-lg border border-gray-100 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4 w-full overflow-x-auto\">\n          <span class=\"text-[10px] uppercase font-bold tracking-wider text-gray-400 block mb-1\">Visual Preview<\/span>\n          <div class=\"font-preview-element font-preview-arial text-base sm:text-lg md:text-xl font-bold text-gray-900 whitespace-nowrap min-w-max\">\n            Jordan Lee \u2014 Senior Marketing Manager\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <p class=\"text-gray-600 text-xs sm:text-base leading-relaxed m-0\">\n          The most universal sans-serif font on the planet \u2014 every OS, every ATS, every word processor recognizes it. Slightly wider than Calibri, so it eats more space per line.\n        <\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/article>\n\n    <!-- 3. GEORGIA -->\n    <article class=\"resume-font-card bg-white rounded-xl border border-gray-200\/90 overflow-hidden w-full\">\n      <div class=\"p-4 sm:p-6\">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2.5 sm:gap-3 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4\">\n          <div class=\"flex items-center gap-2.5 sm:gap-3\">\n            <span class=\"flex items-center justify-center w-7 h-7 sm:w-8 sm:h-8 rounded-lg bg-blue-600 text-white font-bold text-xs sm:text-sm shrink-0\">\n              3\n            <\/span>\n            <h3 class=\"text-lg sm:text-2xl font-bold text-gray-900 font-preview-georgia m-0\">\n              Georgia\n            <\/h3>\n            <span class=\"text-[11px] sm:text-xs px-2 py-0.5 sm:px-2.5 sm:py-1 bg-purple-50 text-purple-700 font-medium rounded-md border border-purple-100\">\n              Serif\n            <\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 px-2.5 py-1 sm:px-3 sm:py-1 rounded-full text-[11px] sm:text-xs font-semibold bg-emerald-50 text-emerald-800 border border-emerald-200\/70\">\n            <i class=\"fa-solid fa-shield-check text-emerald-600\"><\/i>\n            <span>100% ATS Safe (Screen-Optimized Serif)<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"preview-scroll-container p-3 sm:p-5 bg-gray-50\/90 rounded-lg border border-gray-100 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4 w-full overflow-x-auto\">\n          <span class=\"text-[10px] uppercase font-bold tracking-wider text-gray-400 block mb-1\">Visual Preview<\/span>\n          <div class=\"font-preview-element font-preview-georgia text-base sm:text-lg md:text-xl font-semibold text-gray-900 whitespace-nowrap min-w-max\">\n            Jordan Lee \u2014 Senior Marketing Manager\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <p class=\"text-gray-600 text-xs sm:text-base leading-relaxed m-0\">\n          A serif built specifically to stay legible on low-resolution screens. Good pick if you want a font that reads as slightly more traditional without sliding into &#8220;law firm letterhead&#8221; territory.\n        <\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/article>\n\n    <!-- 4. HELVETICA -->\n    <article class=\"resume-font-card bg-white rounded-xl border border-gray-200\/90 overflow-hidden w-full\">\n      <div class=\"p-4 sm:p-6\">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2.5 sm:gap-3 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4\">\n          <div class=\"flex items-center gap-2.5 sm:gap-3\">\n            <span class=\"flex items-center justify-center w-7 h-7 sm:w-8 sm:h-8 rounded-lg bg-blue-600 text-white font-bold text-xs sm:text-sm shrink-0\">\n              4\n            <\/span>\n            <h3 class=\"text-lg sm:text-2xl font-bold text-gray-900 font-preview-helvetica m-0\">\n              Helvetica\n            <\/h3>\n            <span class=\"text-[11px] sm:text-xs px-2 py-0.5 sm:px-2.5 sm:py-1 bg-gray-100 text-gray-600 font-medium rounded-md border border-gray-200\/50\">\n              Sans-Serif\n            <\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 px-2.5 py-1 sm:px-3 sm:py-1 rounded-full text-[11px] sm:text-xs font-semibold bg-amber-50 text-amber-800 border border-amber-200\/80\">\n            <i class=\"fa-solid fa-circle-info text-amber-600\"><\/i>\n            <span>ATS Safe (Export to PDF Recommended)<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"preview-scroll-container p-3 sm:p-5 bg-gray-50\/90 rounded-lg border border-gray-100 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4 w-full overflow-x-auto\">\n          <span class=\"text-[10px] uppercase font-bold tracking-wider text-gray-400 block mb-1\">Visual Preview<\/span>\n          <div class=\"font-preview-element font-preview-helvetica text-base sm:text-lg md:text-xl font-semibold text-gray-900 whitespace-nowrap min-w-max\">\n            Jordan Lee \u2014 Senior Marketing Manager\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <p class=\"text-gray-600 text-xs sm:text-base leading-relaxed m-0\">\n          Clean and neutral, and a favorite in design-adjacent fields. One catch: it&#8217;s a Mac default, not a Windows one. Export to PDF so your formatting survives on any machine it lands on.\n        <\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/article>\n\n    <!-- 5. GARAMOND -->\n    <article class=\"resume-font-card bg-white rounded-xl border border-gray-200\/90 overflow-hidden w-full\">\n      <div class=\"p-4 sm:p-6\">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2.5 sm:gap-3 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4\">\n          <div class=\"flex items-center gap-2.5 sm:gap-3\">\n            <span class=\"flex items-center justify-center w-7 h-7 sm:w-8 sm:h-8 rounded-lg bg-blue-600 text-white font-bold text-xs sm:text-sm shrink-0\">\n              5\n            <\/span>\n            <h3 class=\"text-lg sm:text-2xl font-bold text-gray-900 font-preview-garamond m-0\">\n              Garamond\n            <\/h3>\n            <span class=\"text-[11px] sm:text-xs px-2 py-0.5 sm:px-2.5 sm:py-1 bg-purple-50 text-purple-700 font-medium rounded-md border border-purple-100\">\n              Serif\n            <\/span>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 px-2.5 py-1 sm:px-3 sm:py-1 rounded-full text-[11px] sm:text-xs font-semibold bg-emerald-50 text-emerald-800 border border-emerald-200\/70\">\n            <i class=\"fa-solid fa-shield-check text-emerald-600\"><\/i>\n            <span>98% ATS Safe (Use Regular Weight \u226511pt)<\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"preview-scroll-container p-3 sm:p-5 bg-gray-50\/90 rounded-lg border border-gray-100 mb-3.5 sm:mb-4 w-full overflow-x-auto\">\n          <span class=\"text-[10px] uppercase font-bold tracking-wider text-gray-400 block mb-1\">Visual Preview<\/span>\n          <div class=\"font-preview-element font-preview-garamond text-lg sm:text-xl md:text-2xl font-semibold text-gray-900 whitespace-nowrap min-w-max\">\n            Jordan Lee \u2014 Senior Marketing Manager\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <p class=\"text-gray-600 text-xs sm:text-base leading-relaxed m-0\">\n          Classic and space-efficient \u2014 its narrower letterforms fit more text per line, which helps if you&#8217;re fighting to stay on one page. Stick to the regular weight at 11pt or larger; italic or light weights get harder to scan, both for a recruiter and for some parsers.\n        <\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/article>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n  <script>\n    (function() {\n      const DEFAULT_SAMPLE = \"Jordan Lee \u2014 Senior Marketing Manager\";\n\n      window.toggleInteractiveTester = function() {\n        const drawer = document.getElementById('interactiveTesterDrawer');\n        if (!drawer) return;\n        drawer.classList.toggle('hidden');\n        if (!drawer.classList.contains('hidden')) {\n          document.getElementById('customTextInput').focus();\n        }\n      };\n\n      window.updateAllPreviews = function(val) {\n        const text = val.trim() === \"\" ? DEFAULT_SAMPLE : val;\n        const elements = document.querySelectorAll('.font-preview-element');\n        elements.forEach(el => el.textContent = text);\n      };\n\n      window.resetCustomText = function() {\n        const input = document.getElementById('customTextInput');\n        if (input) {\n          input.value = DEFAULT_SAMPLE;\n          window.updateAllPreviews(DEFAULT_SAMPLE);\n        }\n      };\n    })();\n  <\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Makes a Good Resume Font?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever you pick, it should hit four marks: legible at a glance, professional rather than decorative, neutral enough that readers notice your content and not your typography, and recognized cleanly by ATS software.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fonts fall into a few broad categories: serif (small strokes at the letter ends, e.g., Georgia), sans-serif (clean, no strokes, e.g., Arial), script (cursive-style, avoid for resumes), monospaced (every letter the same width, built for code, avoid), and display (built for headlines and posters, avoid). Stick to serif or sans-serif, and you&#8217;re safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Font choice is one piece of a bigger formatting picture. See our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/resume-layout\/\">resume layout<\/a> for how spacing, sections, and structure work together with your font choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Comparing the Best Fonts for Resumes (ATS Safety &amp; Styles)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<!-- Full Font Comparison Table (Container-Width Responsive) -->\n<div style=\"width: 100% !important; max-width: 100% !important; margin: 1.5rem 0; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; box-sizing: border-box;\">\n\n  <!-- Google Fonts Imports -->\n  <link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\">\n  <link rel=\"preconnect\" href=\"https:\/\/fonts.gstatic.com\" crossorigin>\n  <link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Lato:ital,wght@0,400;0,700&#038;family=Merriweather:ital,wght@0,400;0,700&#038;family=Montserrat:ital,wght@0,400;0,700&#038;family=Nunito:ital,wght@0,400;0,700&#038;family=Raleway:ital,wght@0,400;0,700&#038;family=Roboto:ital,wght@0,400;0,700&#038;display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n\n  <style>\n    .font-card-item {\n      background: #ffffff;\n      border: 1px solid #e2e8f0;\n      border-radius: 10px;\n      padding: 12px 14px;\n      margin-bottom: 12px;\n      box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.04);\n      box-sizing: border-box;\n      width: 100% !important;\n    }\n    .font-card-row {\n      display: block;\n      padding: 6px 0;\n      border-bottom: 1px solid #f1f5f9;\n      box-sizing: border-box;\n      width: 100%;\n      clear: both;\n    }\n    .font-card-row:last-child {\n      border-bottom: none;\n    }\n    .font-label {\n      float: left;\n      width: 32%;\n      font-size: 0.75rem;\n      font-weight: 700;\n      color: #64748b;\n      text-transform: uppercase;\n      letter-spacing: 0.03em;\n      line-height: 1.4;\n    }\n    .font-val {\n      float: right;\n      width: 65%;\n      text-align: right;\n      font-size: 0.875rem;\n      color: #1e293b;\n      line-height: 1.4;\n      word-wrap: break-word;\n      overflow-wrap: break-word;\n    }\n    .badge-s {\n      display: inline-block;\n      padding: 2px 8px;\n      border-radius: 12px;\n      font-size: 0.7rem;\n      font-weight: 600;\n      white-space: nowrap;\n    }\n    .b-serif { background-color: #f3e8ff; color: #6b21a8; }\n    .b-sans { background-color: #dbeafe; color: #1e40af; }\n    .clearfix::after { content: \"\"; clear: both; display: table; }\n  <\/style>\n\n  <!-- Times New Roman -->\n  <div class=\"font-card-item\">\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Font<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; color: #0f172a;\">Times New Roman<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Preview<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600;\">Aa Bb Cc<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Type<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\"><span class=\"badge-s b-serif\">Serif<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Best For<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Traditional, legal fields<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">ATS Notes<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Safe; can look dated outside formal fields<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Cambria -->\n  <div class=\"font-card-item\">\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Font<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; color: #0f172a;\">Cambria<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Preview<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-family: Cambria, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600;\">Aa Bb Cc<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Type<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\"><span class=\"badge-s b-serif\">Serif<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Best For<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Corporate, business documents<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">ATS Notes<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Universally safe<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Montserrat -->\n  <div class=\"font-card-item\">\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Font<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; color: #0f172a;\">Montserrat<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Preview<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600;\">Aa Bb Cc<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Type<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\"><span class=\"badge-s b-sans\">Sans-serif<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Best For<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Creative, marketing, startups<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">ATS Notes<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Generally safe; PDF export recommended<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Lato -->\n  <div class=\"font-card-item\">\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Font<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; color: #0f172a;\">Lato<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Preview<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600;\">Aa Bb Cc<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Type<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\"><span class=\"badge-s b-sans\">Sans-serif<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Best For<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Tech, general corporate<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">ATS Notes<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Generally safe<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Raleway -->\n  <div class=\"font-card-item\">\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Font<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; color: #0f172a;\">Raleway<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Preview<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-family: 'Raleway', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600;\">Aa Bb Cc<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Type<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\"><span class=\"badge-s b-sans\">Sans-serif<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Best For<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Design, fashion, creative<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">ATS Notes<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Generally safe in regular\/medium weight<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Roboto -->\n  <div class=\"font-card-item\">\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Font<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; color: #0f172a;\">Roboto<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Preview<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600;\">Aa Bb Cc<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Type<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\"><span class=\"badge-s b-sans\">Sans-serif<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Best For<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Tech, product, engineering<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">ATS Notes<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Generally safe<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Nunito -->\n  <div class=\"font-card-item\">\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Font<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; color: #0f172a;\">Nunito<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Preview<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-family: 'Nunito', sans-serif; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600;\">Aa Bb Cc<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Type<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\"><span class=\"badge-s b-sans\">Sans-serif<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Best For<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Nonprofit, education, healthcare<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">ATS Notes<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Generally safe<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Merriweather -->\n  <div class=\"font-card-item\">\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Font<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-weight: 700; font-size: 1rem; color: #0f172a;\">Merriweather<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Preview<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\" style=\"font-family: 'Merriweather', serif; font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600;\">Aa Bb Cc<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Type<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\"><span class=\"badge-s b-serif\">Serif<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">Best For<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Academia, research, publishing<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"font-card-row clearfix\">\n      <div class=\"font-label\">ATS Notes<\/div>\n      <div class=\"font-val\">Generally safe; use 10.5\u201311 pt<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Font Size and Formatting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Body text: <\/strong>10\u201312pt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Section headings: <\/strong>12\u201314pt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your name:<\/strong> 18\u201324pt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Line spacing:<\/strong> 1.0\u20131.15 \u2014 tight enough to fit content, loose enough to breathe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Margins: <\/strong>0.5\u20131 inch on all sides.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emphasis:<\/strong> Bold job titles and headers sparingly. Skip underlines and italics for anything but small accents. Both add visual noise fast.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the full picture on structuring these elements together, see our step-by-step guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-resume\/\">how to make a resume<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting Past the ATS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most companies run resumes through an ATS before a human ever sees them. A few habits keep your formatting intact through that process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Stick to standard fonts. <\/strong>Calibri, Arial, Georgia, and Times New Roman are recognized by essentially every parser in use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Watch font weight and style, not just the typeface. <\/strong>A font that&#8217;s ATS-safe in regular weight can behave differently in italic, light, or condensed versions \u2014 some parsers render them oddly or skip styled text. When in doubt, use regular or bold, not italic or light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Skip images, icons, and text boxes. <\/strong>Most ATS software can&#8217;t read text embedded in graphics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Use standard section headings.<\/strong> &#8220;Experience,&#8221; &#8220;Education,&#8221; and &#8220;Skills&#8221; get parsed correctly; creative renamings sometimes don&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Save as PDF unless told otherwise. <\/strong>Modern ATS platforms handle PDFs well, and it preserves your exact formatting; check the job posting for format preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fonts to Avoid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Comic Sans <\/strong>\u2014 reads as informal no matter the context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Papyrus<\/strong> \u2014 dated and hard to read at resume text sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Brush Script or any cursive font<\/strong> \u2014 slow to read, wrong tone for a resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Courier New <\/strong>\u2014 looks like it came out of a typewriter, which reads as outdated rather than intentional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best Font for a Cover Letter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use the same font as your resume. A matching typeface across your resume, cover letter, and references creates one consistent visual identity instead of three disconnected documents. Any of the top 5 above works well here too. Calibri, Arial, and Garamond are especially strong cover letter choices because a cover letter is read as continuous paragraphs, not scanned bullet points. Moreover, these fonts hold up well over several sentences in a row without fatiguing the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One difference worth knowing: cover letters are almost never run through an ATS the way resumes are, since they&#8217;re read by a human, not parsed for keywords. That gives you slightly more flexibility. That said, &#8220;more flexibility&#8221; still means &#8220;safe serif or sans-serif,&#8221; not &#8220;decorative.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can You Use Two Fonts on a Resume?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, if you&#8217;re deliberate about it. Pairing one font for headings and a different one for body text can add visual hierarchy. For instance, Garamond headings with Calibri body text is a common, safe combination. The simpler and honestly safer route is one font family in two weights: regular for body text, bold for headings and your name.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re not confident about pairing, skip it. A single well-chosen font has never cost anyone an interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Default to Calibri or Arial if you want the lowest-risk, most universally compatible option.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Match your resume and cover letter font for a consistent application.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep body text at 10\u201312pt and avoid italic or light-weight styling for anything ATS needs to read.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Skip script, monospaced, and display fonts entirely. No exceptions, even for creative fields.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Build Your Resume With the Right Font, Instantly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jump Resume Builder&#8217;s templates come with ATS-safe fonts already set up correctly. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jumpresumebuilder.com\/build-resume\/stepper\">Build your resume<\/a> and skip the formatting guesswork entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the best font for a resume?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Calibri and Arial are the safest choices. Both are recognized by every major ATS and read cleanly on screen and in print. Georgia, Helvetica, and Garamond are equally strong if you want a slightly different look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the best font for a cover letter?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever font you used on your resume. Calibri, Arial, and Garamond all read comfortably across full paragraphs, which is what a cover letter is made of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What font size should a resume use?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">10\u201312pt for body text, 12\u201314pt for section headings, and 18\u201324pt for your name at the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I use two different fonts on one resume?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. Pairing a serif heading font with a sans-serif body font is a common, safe combination. If you&#8217;re unsure, one font family in regular and bold weights is the simpler choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are script or decorative fonts ever appropriate for a resume?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No, not even in creative fields. Use layout, spacing, and color to show personality. Keep the font itself legible and standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Blog summary: Calibri and Arial are the safest resume fonts for most job seekers, while Georgia, Helvetica, and Garamond offer more style without sacrificing readability. &#8230; <a title=\"Best Fonts for Your Resume: ATS-Safe Picks &amp; Formatting Guide\u00a0\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/best-fonts-for-a-resume\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Best Fonts for Your Resume: ATS-Safe Picks &amp; Formatting Guide\u00a0\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4555,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resume","resize-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3585"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3585\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4550,"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3585\/revisions\/4550"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jumpresumebuilder.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}