Best font for resume?

[BBTV]

I was just updating my resume, possibly to post out there in search of a new job. If it matters, I'm in I.T.

It's been a while since I've built a resume, and I never really paid much mind to the fonts until now. What's the way to go for a resume that will be posted on on-line job sites, and possibly printed off by recruiters or downloaded into their PCs?

I think the font should be a pretty common one that's found in Microsoft Office / Windows, so that when they go to open it in Word it doesn't just display wacky symbols. Right? Wrong?

Also, to serif or not to serif? I was thinking the serif looks more professional, but the sans serif looks more "now". Thoughts?

[TBGKon]

I go with the standard Times New Roman. It looks neat and clean, and is a font most computers support.

[slapshot]

The general rule is that serif fonts are easier to read than sans serif fonts. So, think of the image you're trying to project. If it's one of stability and consistency, use a serif. If you want to show that you are more driven by thought and creativity, use a sans serif.

These are just my opinions, and there may very well be some conflicting one on this same subject.

That said, if you can make a .pdf file of your resume instead of a Word document, you can use whatever font you like. While Times New Roman is pretty much standard on machines of all platforms, it may just look like any ordinary document, unless you present it in an eye-catching design.

[quantum]

nm

[BBTV]

The general rule is that serif fonts are easier to read than sans serif fonts. So, think of the image you're trying to project. If it's one of stability and consistency, use a serif. If you want to show that you are more driven by thought and creativity, use a sans serif.

These are just my opinions, and there may very well be some conflicting one on this same subject.

That said, if you can make a .pdf file of your resume instead of a Word document, you can use whatever font you like. While Times New Roman is pretty much standard on machines of all platforms, it may just look like any ordinary document, unless you present it in an eye-catching design.

I'm not sure if .pdf can be posted to the career sites I'm going to be registering with, but I'll consider that if it's an option. I just assumed that most employers preferred Word docs.

It's IT, and I'm not a web developer or in "creative services", but I also don't want to be thought of a "heads down" developer or anything like that. Maybe I'll work on a version with each and just see what looks better.

Assume I'm using Word and am limited to default fonts - what specific serif and sans serif would you go with? Is TNR a little too "blah"? What about Verdana for sans serif, or is that pretty much just for small type on web pages and not "documents"?

[Primal]

Unless you're going for a creative role, plain old TNR is fine. Layout and content are much more important.

[chuckymack]

You could mix it up with a slightly larger sans-serif for headings and a serif for body copy....

[Korbyn]

Personally I usually go with, Calibri (Body)

[chuckymack]

I set mine in Hypatia Sans.

[Puck]

I'll say what we're all thinking: magenta comic sans.

[tBBP]

I'll say what we're all thinking: magenta comic sans.

NO WE ARE NOT.

(EDIT: How the hell this end up being post #3000 for me???)

[oddball]

If you're going to post your resume, don't save it as a docx file, save as it as a Word 2003 file (doc) so everyone can read it.

[Kit]

Most résumés I receive are PDFs (I work at a design agency). I'm a bit biased because I'm a total typography nerd, but I always like a resume set in a classic serif (a Baskerville or Garamond, or perhaps a Palatino), rather than Times. Of course, I also want a résumé to be two pages (absolute max) with references, so with that sort of brevity you can get away with a sans. Again, as a type geek, the font would need to be eminently appropriate for typesetting (no Futura, no screen fonts).

If you're applying to somewhere more traditional, I'd be inclined to recommend you keep the fonts to ones they can read. You should use a sans (not Arial and not a screen font, unless you can't help it) for headings and a serif for body copy.

[BBTV]

I'll say what we're all thinking: magenta comic sans.

I'm leaning more toward copperplate gothic bold. I don't think it's used nearly enough, so I'll give it some love.

If you're going to post your resume, don't save it as a docx file, save as it as a Word 2003 file (doc) so everyone can read it.

Yeah, that's the plan.

Most résumés I receive are PDFs (I work at a design agency). I'm a bit biased because I'm a total typography nerd, but I always like a resume set in a classic serif (a Baskerville or Garamond, or perhaps a Palatino), rather than Times. Of course, I also want a résumé to be two pages (absolute max) with references, so with that sort of brevity you can get away with a sans. Again, as a type geek, the font would need to be eminently appropriate for typesetting (no Futura, no screen fonts).

If you're applying to somewhere more traditional, I'd be inclined to recommend you keep the fonts to ones they can read. You should use a sans (not Arial and not a screen font, unless you can't help it) for headings and a serif for body copy.

Well it's IT, so I'm not sure I'm going to be impressing typography geeks - but I still want it to be better than just the traditional arial / tnr.

You're suggesting to mix a serif and a sans? Isn't that like some kind of violation?

[pollux]

I've used Verdana for a while now for my resume. I try to get the reader's attention by using different sizes / weights for headers.

And as someone previously stated, if you're able to save as a PDF, then do so. You'll have more font choices for sure.

[tBBP]

Can I toss in an idea from out of left field?

Try the oddball approach...and go with a font most wouldn't dare go near in a situation such as this...or ever:

Courier New.

I mean, after all, is that not the default font when coding in CSS/HTML/writing replies in this forum? Some kind of crazy way, I think that might both catch your employer's eye (especially if he has any kind of programming background) and provide a bit of a subliminal boost, if you catch my drift.

Just my two-cent suggestion. Try it out at your own leisure/risk.

[Puck]

Can I toss in an idea from out of left field?

Try the oddball approach...and go with a font most wouldn't dare go near in a situation such as this...or ever:

Courier New.

I mean, after all, is that not the default font when coding in CSS/HTML/writing replies in this forum? Some kind of crazy way, I think that might both catch your employer's eye (especially if he has any kind of programming background) and provide a bit of a subliminal boost, if you catch my drift.

Just my two-cent suggestion. Try it out at your own leisure/risk.

When it comes to print work, only manuscripts are printed in Courier New.

[pollux]

Can I toss in an idea from out of left field?

Try the oddball approach...and go with a font most wouldn't dare go near in a situation such as this...or ever:

Courier New.

I mean, after all, is that not the default font when coding in CSS/HTML/writing replies in this forum? Some kind of crazy way, I think that might both catch your employer's eye (especially if he has any kind of programming background) and provide a bit of a subliminal boost, if you catch my drift.

Just my two-cent suggestion. Try it out at your own leisure/risk.

For a programmer, that would be awesome. Might be a bit hard to pull it off correctly, but if it's done properly, I can imagine it would be eye-catching for sure.

[Kit]

You're suggesting to mix a serif and a sans? Isn't that like some kind of violation?

Yes I am, and no it's not. Sans was built for headings and serifs were built for body text. Often the best looking layouts use font pairings rather than a single font. The key is harmony in the font selection and the font weight and point size too.

You should look into having a baseline grid if your DTP suite is capable of it to reduce the visual distraction of multiple fonts (that's true in most cases).

Some resources on pairing typefaces:

http://www.typophile.com/wiki/typeface%252Bpairing

[Kit]

I've used Verdana for a while now for my resume. I try to get the reader's attention by using different sizes / weights for headers.

And as someone previously stated, if you're able to save as a PDF, then do so. You'll have more font choices for sure.

I feel (as a total typography nerd) that Verdana is a screen font and so was never designed to be used in print (see http://www.fonts.com/aboutfonts/verdana.htm for the history). The shape of Verdana is explicitly so because of how neatly it fits into a pixel grid at screen font sizes.