One of the main questions when writing a resume would be “Which resume font should I use?”. The easiest way would be to go back to using the good ol’ Times New Roman – but is it the best way?
Some fonts may be overused, others may be too hard to read – either way, we wouldn’t want to be known as the job applicant that had the worst resume font right?
So, what are the best practices regarding resume fonts in recent years? If you need help with that, you are at the right place.
Best Resume Font Guide for Jobs in Malaysia
1. Size Matters
Disclaimer: Not in that way. Resume font size matters because we would want our majestic resume to be highly readable.
The golden standard for resume font size would be 12 points. Feel free to play around with larger fonts when it comes to section headings (e.g. “Education”, “Work Experience”, etc.).
What if your resume is too long? Can you use smaller fonts to fit your content in under 2 pages? If you must do so, we wouldn’t recommend any size smaller than 10 points. Instead, try your best to paraphrase and select the most relevant content based on the applied job.
2. Best Resume Fonts You Should Use
Here are some of our highly recommended resume fonts that you should consider using in your resume:
- Calibri – Professional, easy-to-read
- Cambria – Looks decent even when in small sizes
- Helvetica – Highly ranked by professionals!
- Georgia – Easy-to-read
- Garamond – Classy, easy-to-read
- Lato – Professional
- Verdana – Looks decent even when in small sizes
Note that some of these fonts may not be available in certain operating systems, i.e. some fonts may be available in Microsoft but not available if you’re using a Mac and vice versa.
3. Worst Resume Fonts You Should Avoid Using
Conversely, there are certain resume fonts that we think you should stay away from:
- Bradley Hand ITC – Unprofessional, messy
- Brush Script – Difficult-to-read, messy
- Chalkduster – Highly difficult-to-read
- Comic Sans – Unprofessional, outdated
- Courier New – Traditional, outdated
Don’t believe us? View these fonts here and you’ll understand why they’re not suitable to be used in a resume.
4. Readability is Key
Even though resume font is only one of the many parts that make up a good resume, a well-chosen font is crucial in helping to communicate your content well, similar to choosing the right resume format.
Readability is key because hiring managers’/recruiters’ attention span is shorter than ever before. To be highly readable, your resume font(s) has to be clean, professional and simple. In other words, they should not be too “thin”, “light”, and messy.
Fonts are typically categorised into two sections – Serif and Sans Serif. Serif fonts have “tails” while Sans Serif fonts don’t. Sans Serif fonts are generally more suitable because they are more simple and easy to read.
And finally, remember that we talked about font sizes? If your font sizes are too small, you will risk jeopardising the ability of your audience to go through your resume comfortably.
5. Small Tips, Huge Differences
Need more tips? Consider these items when it comes to your resume font:
- Use universal fonts if possible – some fonts are readily available on Microsoft but not on Mac and vice versa
- Use bold skillfully – to draw particular attention to a few words apart from increasing font sizes
- Make sure your resume font is consistent with your cover letter as well
- Pairing different fonts together is possible, but requires skill and thoughtful consideration – not recommended if you are a beginner/risk-averse
Final Advice
Your resume fonts are especially crucial since more and more companies are using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter resumes. Choose your fonts wisely because sometimes the ATS will not be able to interpret certain fonts – yikes.
If possible, search for online ATS and test your resume to ensure that your fonts are ATS-compatible. At the very least, you should ask your friends and family to proofread your digital and printed resume to correct mistakes and optimise resume readability.
Interested in filming a visume? Don’t know how to succeed in the upcoming job interviews? Our Job Majestic Channel has all the resources you need.
Once you have prepared everything you need for a job-hunting session, head on over to our Job Majestic Multilingual Job Site and start searching for your dream jobs in Malaysia!
