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How To Choose the Best Cover Letter Font

Posted by Glassdoor Team

Career Advice Experts

Last Updated June 29, 2021

Guide Overview

An overview of cover letter font choices.

The font you choose for your cover letter can have a significant impact on the hiring manager because it effects the readability and appearance of the document. There are several fonts you can choose from when developing your communication. Learning about suitable fonts for this document and how to choose one that complements your job application can help you make a positive impression on the recruiter. To learn about cover letter fonts and how to choose the best one for your job application, consider this article.

What are cover letter fonts?

Cover letter fonts are the type styles used to communicate the content of documents introducing your interest in a job and your suitability for it. There are thousands of fonts you can use for these communications, and each has unique characteristics. These type designs differ based on shape, look, and size. As a font showcases all the content in your cover letter, it’s very important to choose typography that suits what you have said, industry norms, and employer expectations. These type styles can be categorized based on several typography elements, including:

Learn more: How to Write A Cover Letter

Why are cover letter fonts important?

There are several reasons that make cover letter fonts important, including:

Learn more: Best Font for Resume

What are the best fonts for cover letters?

There are several fonts you can use for your cover letter, such as:

Discover companies hiring by location, job title, and industry

Tips for choosing a cover letter font

When choosing a cover letter font, you can use the following tips:

Learn more: How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? (With Tips)

How to choose a cover letter font

You can use the following steps to choose a great font for your cover letter:

How to choose a cover letter font size

You can choose a size that works for your cover letter with the following steps:

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What are the best cover letter fonts?

Karl Kahler

What is the best cover letter fonts? There's no single correct answer to this frequently asked question. But when it comes to choosing the right font for your own cover letter, you have quite a few great options.

The best fonts to use in a cover letter are those that are attractive, clean and easy to read. 

You want hiring managers to take one glance at your cover letter and think “Looks good!” before they even start reading. Then you want them to read every word, focusing on your content — not distracted by a strange font choice or a font size that’s too big or too small.

If you choose some odd-looking, avant garde font to make your cover letter stand out, it will — but for all the wrong reasons. The recruiter is likely to frown and wonder why you chose such a weird font, and you’ve already got one strike against you. 

There is no shortage of online advice about how to choose the best font for cover letters, including YouTube videos such as this one.

Choosing between serif and sans serif fonts

Your choice of cover letter font ultimately comes down to two basic font types: serif and sans serif.

Serif fonts : A serif is a decorative flourish, a small line or stroke added to the letters of the alphabet. For example, a capital A in a serif typeface will have a small horizontal line at the bottom of the two diagonal lines that form the primary part of the letter — they look like tiny pedestals that form a base for the letter. 

Serifs are added to the parts of letters that end in mid-air; for example, a lowercase “i” as in “ice” will generally have a serif at the top pointing left and a serif at the bottom pointing both right and left. But you’ll probably never see a serif on the letter “o” because it’s a circle where no part of the letter ends in mid-air. 

Sans serif fonts : Sans serif fonts don’t use serifs, so they look more like the alphabet displayed above the blackboard in an elementary school classroom. For example, if you print the letter “i” on a piece of paper with a pencil, you probably just draw a straight vertical line and add a dot on top of it. That’s sans serif. But if you add little decorations to the vertical line, those are serifs.

Should you use a serif or a non-serif font for cover letters?

There is no right or wrong answer to the question of using a serif or non-serif cover letter font, as long as it's easy on the eyes and doesn't distract your reader. Perhaps with the exception of header text only, you should use the same font consistently throughout. It can be a matter of personal preference, as well as compatibility with the occupation, employer and industry. In terms of “personality,” serif fonts tend to be perceived as more traditional, formal, mature and reliable, while sans serif fonts are commonly described as sleek, modern and clean.

Chances are, you've heard the rule that serif fonts are easy to read. However, there's little weight to that argument.

Research into the theory suggests that serif fonts may produce a "tiny legibility increase" when the type is small or far away. However, the study authors concluded that overall there is "no difference in legibility between typefaces" that are serif or sans serif.

The top 8 cover letter fonts to use

Here is our list of good fonts for cover letters:

best font for cover letter 2020

The temptation to increase your resume to two pages is real, but is it the right thing to do? For a director-level job seeker, the answer will be yes, but what about everyone else? If you do opt for two pages, make the most of them.

Cover letter spacing and white space

In addition to choosing the right font size for your application letter, you need to set appropriate cover letter margins — one inch on the top, bottom, left and right is a good rule. 

Another consideration is cover letter spacing. Every typeface comes with a default amount of “leading” (rhymes with “sledding”), which means the amount of space between lines. This setting is adjustable, but don’t downsize it to squeeze your letter onto one page. Allow for an appropriate amount of white space in your cover letter, or it will look like you’re trying to cram 12 pounds of stuff into a 10-pound bag. 

What do the best cover letter fonts look like?

Look no further than resume.io for samples of what you might decide is the best font for cover letters. And if you’re ready to create your own cover letter, this is also the right place to get started right away. Check out our professionally designed, field-tested cover letter templates in four design categories: simple , creative , modern and professional . 

Our top-of-the-line cover letter builder tool makes it easy to customize your own version for hassle-free, high-quality results in no time. 

You can always count on resume.io for the advice to boost your career! Our job-winning resources include a wide selection of occupation-specific writing guides and free cover letter examples . 

Key takeaways

Best of luck with choosing the right fonts and formating choices for your cover letter. And even if you’ve forgotten everything we’ve said here, remember: Don’t use Comic Sans!

Why you need a cover letter outline and how to write one (tips + examples)

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The 12 Best Cover Letter Examples: What They Got Right

Amanda Zantal-Wiener

Published: February 16, 2023

Fun is not something typically associated with writing a cover letter. However, with a few tweaks, writing one doesn’t have to be a burden.

job seeker reviewing best cover letter examples

The cover letter examples below demonstrate that it is possible to have a little fun with your job search — and maybe even make yourself a better candidate in the process.

→ Click here to access 5 free cover letter templates [Free Download]

What is a good cover letter?

A cover letter is used to demonstrate your interest in the role, passion for the company, and the impact you've had in previous positions. Cover letters should include a standout opening, relevant skills and qualifications, and a strong finish with a call-to-action — all within one page and unique to each application.

It may be true that only 35% of recruiters admit that cover letters do not materially influence the hiring process for them , but that doesn't mean yours has to contribute to that statistic. In fact, it might be that cover letters are deemed insignificant because so few of them stand out. Here's an opportunity for you to exercise your creativity at the earliest stage of the recruitment process.

Personalization, after all, goes beyond replacing the title and company name in each letter you send to recruiters.

What’s on a cover letter?

Before you can get started writing your cover letter, there are a few components you must have.

Greeting: A simple, but pleasant greeting to address the recruiter or hiring manager.

Opener: Write a catchy introduction that explains why you’re interested in the role.

Summary of Skills/Qualifications: This is the heart of your cover letter. It outlines your relevant experience and why you’d be a great fit for the role. You can highlight special skills, experiences, professional achievements, or education to help make your case.

Closing: In this paragraph, provide a call-to-action by expressing interest in an interview. Provide your contact information and sign-off.

What does a cover letter look like?

In addition to showing off your skills and qualifications, cover letters give you the opportunity to present a clear, concise, and compelling writing sample that shows off your personality and ability to convey ideas. Check out our fillable examples below to see how you should organize the content of your cover letter.

Customizable Cover Letter Examples

In a hurry for a cover letter example you can download and customize? Check out the ones below from HubSpot’s cover letter template kit .

1. Standard Cover Letter Example

cover letter examples: standard cover letter

This standard cover letter hits all the right notes: It includes a space to give a brief summary of your experience, as well as a space to delve in-depth into the specific responsibilities at your current role. You also have the chance to describe the challenges you’ve mastered at previous roles, showing that you’re capable of facing any problem that comes your way.

Why We Love It

We love this cover letter because it allows you to describe the high points of your career while still being professional, personalized, and succinct.

2. Data-Driven Cover Letter Sample

cover letter examples: data driven cover letter

Numbers are worth a million words — or that’s how the saying should probably go (if only we could include pictures in cover letters). Citing data and statistics about your achievements at your current company is an assured way to capture a hiring manager’s attention. Most hiring managers don’t read the entire letter, so a bulleted summary of your achievements can be a powerful way to increase the effectiveness and scannability of your message.

We love this cover letter because it’s adaptable to any role. Even if you don’t work in a data-centric role, you can include any enumerable achievement. If you’re in a creative industry, for instance, you can include the number of creative assets you designed for your current company.

3. Entry-Level Cover Letter Example

cover letter examples: entry-level cover letter

Download a Customizable Copy of This Cover Letter Example

Applying to your first job can be stress-inducing, to say the least. You can increase your chances of getting that first interview by including a cover letter that explains how your education can help you succeed in the role you applied for.

Look no further than this example from HubSpot. While other cover letter samples give experienced professionals the opportunity to share their experience at length, this one gives you the chance to describe your personal and professional attributes. You can then convey how you can leverage your knowledge to help your target company reach their goals.

We love this cover letter because it’s easy and simple to use for a student who has little experience in their target industry — including those who haven’t yet completed an internship.

Looking for more? Download the entire kit below.

5 Professional Cover Letter Templates

Fill out the form to access your templates., best cover letter examples.

What does a good cover letter look like in practice, and how can you make yours stand out? We found six examples from job seekers who decided to do things a bit differently.

Note: Some of these cover letters contain real company names and NSFW language that we've covered up.

1. The Cover Letter That Explains 'Why,' Not Just 'How'

We’ve already covered the importance of addressing how you’ll best execute a certain role in your cover letter. But there’s another question you might want to answer: Why the heck do you want to work here?

The Muse , a career guidance site, says that it’s often best to lead with the why — especially if it makes a good story. We advise against blathering on and on, but a brief tale that illuminates your desire to work for that particular employer can really make you stand out.

cover letter that explains "why" with a story about a childhood experience with the chicago cubs

Image Source

Here’s another instance of the power of personalization. The author of this cover letter clearly has a passion for this prospective employer — the Chicago Cubs — and if she’s lying about it, well, that probably would eventually be revealed in an interview.

Make sure your story is nonfiction and relatable according to each job. While we love a good tale of childhood baseball games, an introduction like this one probably wouldn’t be fitting in a cover letter for, say, a software company. But a story of how the hours you spent playing with DOS games as a kid led to your passion for coding? Sure, we’d find that fitting.

If you’re really passionate about a particular job opening, think about where that deep interest is rooted. Then, tell your hiring manager about it in a few sentences.

Why This Is A Great Cover Letter

This example demonstrates how effective personalization can be. The writer is passionate about the employer, drawing from her own childhood experience to communicate her enthusiasm.

2. The 'We're Meant for Each Other' Cover Letter

This cover letter example is a special one because it was submitted to us here at HubSpot. What does the letter do well? It makes a connection with us before we've even met the letter's author.

We're meant for each other cover letter submitted to HubSpot

"Content Marketing Certified" indicates the applicant has taken the content marketing certification course in our HubSpot Academy (you can take the same course here ). Our "records" indicate he/she did indeed give an interview with us before — and was a HubSpot customer.

The cover letter sang references to a relationship we didn't even know we had with the candidate.

The letter ends with a charming pitch for why, despite him/her not getting hired previously, our interests complement each other this time around.

(Yes, the applicant was hired).

This cover letter example does an excellent job of building rapport with the employer. Despite not getting hired for previous roles they applied for at HubSpot, the writer conveys exactly why they are right for this role.

3. The Cover Letter with H.E.A.R.T.

HubSpot has a lot of H.E.A.R.T. — Humble, Empathetic, Adaptable, Remarkable, Transparent. Our Culture Code is the foundation of the company's culture, the driving force behind our mission to help millions grow better , and serves as the scaffolding for our hiring practices. Recruiters at HubSpot look for applicants that demonstrate how they embody the Culture Code and job description, paying extra attention to cover letters that are super custom to HubSpot.

In another HubSpot submission, a HubSpot applicant writes about how she found out about HubSpot, why she likes the company, and how her professional experience aligns with H.E.A.R.T.

cover letter that details experience according to hubspot values: humble, empathy, adaptability, remarkable, and transparent.

HubSpot's recruiting team was impressed with her dedication to the company and how she went beyond what was asked for by linking her portfolio in her closing paragraph.

Featured Resource: 5 Free Cover Letter Templates

Cover-Letter-Templates

Download our collection of 5 professional cover letter templates to help you summarize your professional journey and land your dream job – whether it's at your first or fifth company.

Short Cover Letter Examples

4. the short-and-sweet cover letter.

In 2009, David Silverman penned an article for Harvard Business Review titled, “ The Best Cover Letter I Ever Received. ” That letter contained three complete sentences, as follows:

Short and sweet cover letter example with only three sentences

One might argue that this particular letter is less than outstanding. It’s brief, to say the least, and the author doesn’t go into a ton of detail about what makes him or her qualified for the job in question. But that’s what Silverman likes about it — the fact that the applicant only included the pieces of information that would matter the most to the recipient.

“The writer of this letter took the time to think through what would be relevant to me,” writes Silverman. “Instead of scattering lots of facts in hopes that one was relevant, the candidate offered up an opinion as to which experiences I should focus on.”

When you apply for a job, start by determining two things:

The key to this standout cover letter is research — by looking into who you’ll be reporting to and learning more about that person’s leadership style, you’ll be better prepared to tailor your cover letter to focus on how you provide solutions for them.

5. The Short Story

Basha Coleman began her cover letter with a short story. The goal of this short story is two-fold:

short cover letter example from basha coleman that starts with a short story about her existing experience with pepsi

You'll notice that her short story follows a typical narrative arc: It has a conflict/obstacle, a turning point, and a positive outcome, all created with a goal to emphasize a theme or point. In this case, Coleman is emphasizing her existing affinity with the brand and her triumphs within the program so that she can continue on her career path.

Like the second example in our list, this cover letter does an excellent job of conveying the applicant’s existing affinity for the brand. If you are applying to a company you love, don’t be shy about showing it and explaining why.

6. The Bare Bones Cover Letter

In today's job market, cover letters aren't always necessary. Even though many recruiters won't ask for or even read them, cover letters can still be effective and convey personality to a reader. Writing a strong cover letter can help you better convey your interest in the position and company.

This template from The Balance Careers puts together the essential components of a short cover letter: excitement about the position, your qualifications, and a call-to-action for the recruiter to follow up with you. Combining these central aspects in a well-written, compelling narrative will go a long way in convincing readers to hire you.

short cover letter example with summarized bullet points

This letter is organized and concise. The inclusion of bullet points to highlight key skills and help the recruiter skim the document is a nice touch.

7. The Breezy Follow-Up

In this cover letter, Amanda Edens is following the instructions the hiring manager gave by forwarding an email with resume and writing samples attached.

short cover letter example from Amanda Edens with bullet points and breezy language

Not only does Amanda provide links to relevant writing samples that are live on the web, but she also closes with a strong final paragraph that:

8. The Administrative Assistant Cover Letter

In this cover letter the candidate, Brenda, plays up her prior music industry experience to build a connection with Epic Music Group. If you have specific industry experience for the role you are applying for, be sure to highlight that.

Cover Letter Example: Admin Cover Letter

It’s clear that she’s passionate about not only the music industry, but Epic as a whole. She’s done so much research on the company that she knows what software programs they use, and happens to be proficient in it to help convey value to the hiring manager.

This example further illustrates the importance of research. Make sure you understand the culture of the company to which you’re applying before you send a completely unfiltered cover letter — if you don’t, there’s a good chance it’ll completely miss the mark.

In just three short paragraphs, the applicant uses their company research to drive home why they are the perfect fit for the role — emphasizing industry experience as well as software knowledge specific to the company. All of this communicates that she’d be able to start with very few hiccups getting up to speed.

9. The Internship Cover Letter

Maybe you’re just getting started in your career and looking to land the right internship to gain experience in your field. In this case, you’ll need to highlight more of your educational background and transferable skills since you won’t have as much professional experience to highlight.

Cover Letter Examples: Internship Cover Letter

The cover letter above is a great example of how to emphasize your skills and accomplishments when applying to internships or entry-level positions. A few things the applicant does well:

This cover letter example illustrates how you can leverage your education and background to get the gig even when you don’t have much working experience. Highlighting previous internships or experience in related fields can go a long way in convincing hiring managers you’re the perfect candidate for the role.

Creative Cover Letter Examples

10. the brutally honest cover letter.

Then, there are the occasions when your future boss might appreciate honesty — in its purest form. Livestream CEO Jesse Hertzberg, by his own admission, is one of those people, which might be why he called this example “ the best cover letter ” (which he received while he was with Squarespace):

Brutally honest cover letter example

As Hertzberg says in the blog post elaborating on this excerpt — it’s not appropriate for every job or company. But if you happen to be sure that the corporate culture of this prospective employer gets a kick out of a complete lack of filter, then there’s a chance that the hiring manager might appreciate your candor.

“Remember that I'm reading these all day long,” Hertzberg writes. “You need to quickly convince me I should keep reading. You need to stand out.”

The applicant did their research on the company’s culture and executed this cover letter flawlessly. It’s funny and shows off the applicant’s personality all while demonstrating why they are a good fit for the role.

11. The Pivot Cover Letter

Making a career switch? Your cover letter can be an excellent opportunity for you to explain the reasoning behind your career change and how your transferable skills qualify you for the role.

Cover Letter Example: Creative Pivot Cover Letter

Since the role she is applying for is more visual, it’s important to both show and tell why you’re a good fit.

This cover letter strikes the perfect balance between creativity and simplicity in design while putting the applicant's career change into context. The copy is clean, with a creative font choice that isn’t distracting from the content, but still demonstrates the applicant’s knack for design.

12. The Graphic Design Cover Letter

When applying for more creative roles, the design of your cover letter can say just as much as the words on the page. Take the graphic designer letter example below.

Cover Letter Examples: Grpahic Design

It’s got so much going for it:

In addition to the style elements, this example also doesn’t skimp on the key skills recruiters are looking for. Using metrics, the applicant demonstrates their value and why they would be a great fit.

This cover letter thoroughly conveys the applicant’s skills and qualifications using a variety of visual elements and by emphasizing their greatest achievements.

We’d like to add another stage to the job search: experimentation.

In today’s competitive landscape, it’s so easy to feel defeated, less-than-good-enough, or like giving up your job search. But don’t let the process become so monotonous. Have fun discovering the qualitative data we’ve discussed here — then, have even more by getting creative with your cover letter composition.

We certainly can’t guarantee that every prospective employer will respond positively — or at all — to even the most unique, compelling cover letter. But the one that’s right for you will. That’s why it’s important not to copy these examples . That defeats the purpose of personalization.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Professional Cover Letter Templates

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The Best Cover Letter Format [3 Sample Templates]

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

cover letter format

By Mike Simpson

Before I give you all of my secrets for the perfect cover letter format (and trust me, you want to keep reading because this is going to really help you), I have to ask you a question.

Have you ever heard the phrase “You never get a second chance to make a first impression?”

Of course you have. So what’s the point? Bear with me for a moment.

Let’s say you’re at a party and meeting people for the very first time. You want to look your best, right?

FREE BONUS PDF CHEAT SHEET : Get our "Perfect Cover Letter" Cheat Sheet that gives you a Step-by-Step Process that will help you produce a perfect cover letter.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR "PERFECT COVER LETTER" CHEAT SHEET

You put on your favorite outfit, double and triple check your hair, brush your teeth five times, roll on your strongest deodorant and pack your pockets full of mints.

You’re doing everything you can to make sure you’re ready to go.

Okay so here’s another question: When people meet you for the first time, how long does it take for them to form an opinion about you based on their first impression.

Ready for this?

Seven seconds.

Seven seconds?! Are you serious?

That’s right, just seven fast seconds. As soon as you meet someone for the first time, their brains are processing everything about you at a rate of thousands of decisions a second:

Are you someone they want to talk to? Do you look friendly? Are you approachable? Do you look interesting? Is that spinach in your teeth?

Of course, most of these thoughts and decisions are made on the subconscious level at lightning speed and before you can fully get your name out and shake hands, that person has already decided whether or not they want to continue the conversation or move onto the next person to talk to.

Crazy, right?

Did you know the exact same thing happens in the job marketplace? It’s true.

Okay, so maybe you’re not meeting at the buffet line both contemplating the last shrimp puff, but when it comes to applying for a job and getting that interview, you need to treat it just like you treat your party, and that means getting everything exactly the way you want it to be for that first, crucial, first impression.

Hang on, how is that possible? Are you saying I have to dress up just to apply for my dream job? All I’m doing is sending in my paperwork…do I have to put on formal wear just to type it up?

In job interviews, just like our party, first impressions are everything, which is why we always encourage you to make sure you’re looking and sounding your best in every possible way, and in many cases that starts with your cover letter.

Oooh! My cover letter! But didn’t we already go over those?

Yes, we did! But this article is more than just how to write a cover letter . In this article we’re going to get down and dirty with the actual formatting of your cover letter.

Formatting? You mean there are different formats? I thought it was just a basic introduction and blah blah blah, here are my qualifications…hire me?

In a nutshell, yes, but remember, you only get one chance to make that first impression…so why run the risk of making the wrong one?

Why The Format Of Your Cover Letter Is Important

Let’s start with why cover letter formatting is so important.

As we’ve already said, first impressions are everything. You want a hiring manager to look at your cover letter and be so intrigued that they not only read it, but they call you in for an interview.

Chances are they’re going to be slogging through hundreds, if not thousands of cover letters and odds are the majority of those are going to be tossed in the trash after nothing more than a quick glance or two.

So, how do you make sure your cover letter (and attached resume) don’t get “filed under G” (for garbage… see what we did there)?

By making sure it’s not only the best first impression it can possibly be, but also the right impression.

Let’s get started.

How To Format A Cover Letter

To begin, let’s get some basics out of the way.

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a quick way for you to summarize who you are, what position you are applying for and what skills and knowledge you have.

But can’t they just get the majority of that information from my resume?

Yes, but at the same time, a cover letter is a great opportunity for you to introduce information that’s not in your resume!

Most people fail to realize this and just use the cover letter as an opportunity to regurgitate everything that’s in their resume. Not only are they just doubling up useless information, they’re missing out on a huge opportunity to engage a potential employer as well as showcase other skills or outside experiences that might not be on their resume but which are perfect for the position.

Say what?!?

You don’t need to include every skill you possess in your cover letter, rather you use your cover letter to specifically target both the job and employer .

Using the cover letter as a way to express to your potential employer what it is about the position that appeals to you and why you want to work for them is a great way to both introduce yourself and get them curious enough about who you are to keep reading.

Think of your cover letter as the “laser pointer” highlighting exactly why you’re the Perfect Candidate .

So how long should my cover letter be?

A well written cover letter should never be longer than a single page .

No hiring manager wants to read a five page letter. Remember, they’re busy! Keep it short and sweet.

That’s it?! That doesn’t seem so hard!

Slow down there, turbo. It might not seem hard, but before you go rushing off to type yours up, we’re going to break it down even further… including the three different types of cover letter formats . Once we get those explained, we’ll circle back to actual formatting including fonts, margins, paper, etc.

Different Types of Cover Letter Format

There are three basic types of cover letter format you need to be aware of, and we like to call them:

The Paragraph cover letter The Specific Needs cover letter The Grocery List cover letter

PARAGRAPH COVER LETTER

The Paragraph cover letter is the most common form of cover letters and is probably the format you’ll end up using the most often, especially if you are just starting out in the job market or don’t have a ton of experience yet.

Paragraph letters allow you to engage your reader with direct story telling style utilizing a series of three to four short paragraphs.

People who would benefit from using the Paragraph Letter are:

High school grads College grads Entry Level Workers People with Gaps in their Work History People Making Career changes Individuals with extensive experience Executives Specialists Anyone!

But what does each paragraph contain?

Well, let’s take a look.

Your first paragraph is your introductory paragraph.

You use it to quickly tell a prospective employer who you are and why you are writing to them. You can include information here about things like your areas of expertise and your career goals and how they align with the company.

This is also where you let them know what position you’re specifically applying for as well as how you heard about it.

Your second and third paragraphs are all about what skills and knowledge you have that is specific to the job you’re applying for and will be bringing with you should they offer you the position.

Make sure you highlight your qualifications and how they fit in with the open position. Use words directly from the job description .

Again, this isn’t the time to just repeat your resume…use this space as an opportunity to really show them how you’re the employee they’ve been looking for all along and how you’re perfect for the job they’re currently hiring for.

When a company posts a job opening, they’re posting what they need. What skills, abilities, knowledge and experiences are they looking for?

Use this paragraph to highlight how you fill that need. This is also where you can fill in any information that might not be on your resume but which will help show why you’d be perfect for the position.

Your final paragraph is your conclusion. Wrap up your letter by thanking them for taking the time to read your letter and considering you for the position.

Don’t forget to include how they can contact you as well as your plans to follow-up with them.

All in all, a traditional paragraph letter looks like this:

Your Name Your Address Your City, State, Zip Code Your Phone Number Your Email

Name Title Organization Address City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

I'm writing to apply for your Corporate and Events Planning Director position at Big Top Bash, Inc. I have spent the past six years working exclusively in the event planning industry and bring with me both extensive experience as an event planner and an organized and detail-oriented work ethic to the position.

As an event planner, I have organized and executed hundreds of corporate events. Group sizes have ranged from small intimate gatherings to large-scale galas. My clients not only include corporations, but also include politicians interested in organizing fundraising and networking opportunities, weddings, retreats, anniversaries, and everything in between, including international events. I am also skilled in finding the appropriate venues, entertainment, security, transportation, vendors, and promoters.

I am also an experienced contract negotiator and am proud of my ability to secure economical solutions to fit the needs of my clients without compromising quality. I am skilled in working with budgets and guest lists of any size and am proud of my ability to deliver high quality results both on time and on budget. I am creative in my approach to problem solving and cool under pressure. I am confident in my crisis management skills and my ability to anticipate and proud of my long list of satisfied clientele.

I have enclosed my resume and will call within the week to see if we can arrange a time to speak.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, Signature First Name Last Name

THE EMPLOYER SPECIFIC NEEDS COVER LETTER

The specific needs cover letter (also known as the “T-Format” cover letter) is a little bit different from the paragraph letter. Yes, you still start out with your introductory first paragraph, and wrap up with your final concluding paragraph…but the real difference is how you format the middle of your letter .

Rather than writing it out in paragraph form, you go straight to what the employer is looking for and addresses each one in turn with your own matching qualifications using a dual column format.

That style looks like this:

cover-letter-format-example1

This is a great format to use when you want to instantly show an employer that you have specific skills that are a direct match for what they are looking for.

People who would benefit from the Employer Specific List of Needs letter are:

Individuals with extensive experience Executives Specialists

THE SHOPPING LIST COVER LETTER

The Shopping List cover letter is a hybrid of the two other types of cover letter formats, the paragraph letter and the specific needs letter.

Just like the previous two letters, you start out with your opening paragraph and close with the same concluding paragraph, but much like the specific needs letter, it’s the central paragraph that’s a little different.

Rather than doing a two column comparison or a story style paragraph, you list out exactly what the employer is looking for and respond with your own matching qualifications.

Pretend that the employer is going to the grocery store to find the Perfect Candidate. It’s up to you to show them that you fill their shopping list!

People who would benefit from the Shopping List Letter format are:

People with Gaps in their Work History People Making Career changes who have relevant experience that might not be on their resume Individuals with extensive experience Executives Specialists

It looks a bit like this:

I'm writing to apply for your Corporate and Events Planning Director position at Big Top Bash, Inc. I have spent the past six years working exclusively in the event planning industry. I bring with me both extensive experience as an event planner and an organized and detail-oriented work ethic which I believe apply directly to your job requirements including:

Experience – With over six years of practical hands on experience as a Senior Events Planning Director I have been responsible for successfully organizing and coordinating hundreds of events.

Attention to Detail – During my time, I’ve organized and executed events ranging in size from small intimate gatherings all the way up to political fundraising galas for over 1000 guests. No matter the size or budget, I approach each event with the same level of dedication.

Ability to Remain within Budget – I am comfortable working with both budgets and guests lists to ensure client satisfaction. I am also skilled at negotiating with vendors, venues, entertainment, security, transportation and promoters and am proud of my ability to secure economical solutions for my clients without sacrificing quality.

Ability to Work Well under Pressure – I am confident in my crisis management skills as well as my ability to anticipate potential problems before they arise. I am creative in my approach to problem solving and cool under pressure.

I have enclosed my resume and will call within the week to see if we can arrange a time to speak. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Signature First Name Last Name

Not only is a cover letter like this easy to write, but it allows you to quickly list your relevant skills and accomplishments and can instantly show a potential employer that you are a perfect match for the available position.

This is also an excellent format for someone who is in the middle of a career change or transitioning as you can showcase exactly how the skills and experience you possess relate to the position, regardless of your work history.

Okay, all this is great, and I’m really excited to start writing my cover letter, but before I do…what about cover letter formatting specifics, like paper and margins and fonts?

Best Cover Letter Fonts, Margins & Paper

When writing your cover letter, you should follow the same rules you use when formatting any professional letter.

Let’s start with fonts.

Open your word processing program and take just a second to scroll through your font choices. If you’re like me, it seems as though there are a hundred different styles to choose from…so which one is the right one?

Yes, you want to stand out in a sea of other applicants, but remember, before you go selecting that font with all the swirls and loops that rule number one when typing up your cover letter is: legibility.

Making sure your cover letter is readable is step number one.

You want to make sure that a potential employer can easily read it regardless of if it’s printed out or on a computer screen. Speaking of computer screens, not everyone is on the same operating system which means a unique or quirky font on your screen might show up as code or nonsense on someone else’s.

Your cover letter, just like all documents you send to a potential employer, is a professional representation of who you are, and as such, should look professional.

Try to avoid any font or typefaces listed as a Serif. Yes, they look nice and they’re certainly legible, but Serif fonts are fonts with added embellishments and stylizations which, when run through a scanning program or software, can result in the program rejecting it.

Remember, many companies these days use an automated applicant tracking software to first pre-qualify candidates and the last thing you want to do is you’re your application rejected because the computer program didn’t recognize your font or had difficulty reading it.

So what fonts should you use?

Sans Serifs fonts are fonts which are clean, crisp, sleek, and most importantly, scanner-friendly! They’re also “eyeball-friendly” which means a hiring manager reading it won’t have any issues trying to figure out what they’re looking at or run into eye-strain.

Stick to classic fonts like  Arial ,  Verdana ,  Trebuchet MS ,  Century Gothic ,  Gill Sans MT  (but NEVER Comic Sans),  Lucida Sans and  Tahoma as well as our personal favorite, Helvetica. It’s a flawless blend of style and clarity.

Another thing to keep in mind with fonts is the size you’re using. Shrinking everything down to the size of an ant just so you can fit it all onto a single page won’t win you any points. Again, you want to ensure that your cover letter is readable.

Try to stay between 10.5 and 12 points . Any smaller and it’s hard to read.

MARGINS AND SPACING

When you format your cover letter you want to make sure that your leave enough margin space to allow for printing .

Try to resist the temptation to adjust your margins, even if you’re trying to fit more into your page. Just because it prints out on your printer doesn’t mean it will all print out exactly the same on an employer’s printer. Adjust your margins too much and you run the risk of critical information being cut off if an employer prints it out.

Inversely, making your margins too large will leave your cover letter looking boxed in and squished.

The general rule is to set your margins at one inch on all sides.

When you turn a cover letter into a potential employer, you want to make sure you’re using paper that helps convey the message that you’re a professional.

Of course, if you’re using an online submission system, you don’t get to choose what sort of paper an employer might potentially print your cover letter out on, but in the instances when you’re physically turning something in, it’s a good idea to put some extra time, thought, and a little bit of money into the paper you’re using.

Yes, it’s a little more expensive to pick up a package of high quality paper, but think of it as an investment – in you!

Look for paper rated at around 24lb weight. Anything lighter is intended for bulk copying and will come across as cheap and flimsy. If you’re using paper with a watermark, make sure it’s facing the correct way relative to your cover letter.

When selecting the color of paper you’re using, it’s always a safe bet to stick to white or neutrals. Off-white, cream, ivory and light gray are acceptable for most professional jobs.

Finally, make sure you’re always using 8 ½ x 11 paper.

LENGTH AND SPACING

As we mentioned earlier, no matter which of the three formats you decide to go with, your cover letter should fit neatly onto one single sided page without crowding.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, and in some (rare) cases (career changes, highly advanced technical fields, or individuals at the senior/executive level), a slightly longer cover letter is acceptable.

Keep in mind this isn’t your autobiography!

In terms of the spacing, keep your cover letter to single-spaced with a blank line between each section of your content.

5 Common Cover Letter Format Mistakes to Avoid

1. spelling and grammar mistakes (and typos).

THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENT…which means, ALWAYS proofread your cover letter before you send it out! This includes double checking your contact information.

It won’t do you any good if you have the perfect cover letter and employers who want to hire you if they keep calling the wrong number or emailing the wrong email. Double check! Then…check again!

2. Not Tailoring Your Cover Letter

Stop me if you’ve heard us mention “tailoring before”. By now, you should have. After all, it’s the backbone to our whole job-getting strategy!

MIKE'S TIP:

Blanketing the job market with a one-cover letter-fits-all approach not only makes you look lazy, but it shows an employer that you’re comfortable doing the bare minimum rather than going the extra step to make sure your cover letter is tailored to the job you’re specifically seeking.

Do your research beforehand and make sure the letter you’re sending out not only highlights your skills and experiences, but shows an employer that you’re the Perfect Candidate for not only the job but the company you’re applying to!

NOTE: This includes the greeting/salutation of your letter. It should be “addressed” to the hiring manager (full name if possible). Be sure to read our “how to address a cover letter” article for step-by-step instructions.

3. Rambling

Keep in mind your first impression rule. Submitting a cover letter that’s long, rambling, confusing or poorly organized isn’t going to get you anything except dumped.

This includes padding your cover letter with unnecessary information. Keep your cover letter tailored, clear, concise, and clean. A short letter that’s straight to the point and laser focused is far more powerful than a long letter filled with big words and confusing sentences.

4. Personal Information

Religious affiliations, social security numbers, personal social media contact, birthday (or age), marital status, or anything else that’s personal has no place on your cover letter.

This also includes photos or headshots. All a potential employer needs to know is what your name is, how to contact you, and why you’re the perfect candidate based off of your skills, experience, and qualifications.

5. Salary Information

Save that for a personal discussion with the hiring manager a little further down the road. Putting your salary requirements on your cover letter is never a good idea. Check out the article we wrote on “How to Negotiate Salary During the Job Interview Process”  here.

Top 5 Cover Letter Formatting Tips

1. Keep your format simple:  Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Presenting a hiring manager with a cover letter that’s overly crowded, hard to read, confusing or just plain messy isn’t going to get you the job…it’s going to get you thrown out.

2.   Keep it professional:  Avoid cute fonts, gimmicks, scented paper, glitter, odd shapes, or anything that could potentially make an employer look at your cover letter and question your sanity. Don’t print on cheap paper. Show an employer you’re serious about the job. Save the stickers and smiley faces for your holiday letters you send home to family.

3.   Focus on the job description and how you satisfy what the hiring manager is looking for. Read the job description and then read it again. What does the hiring manager need? How do your skills and experiences fill that need? Make sure when you’re writing your cover letter that you’re using words specifically used in the job posting and relating your skills directly to those that the hiring manager is looking for.

4. Make sure you’re selecting the cover letter format that best reflects who you are, your work history, and the job you’re applying for. Remember a cover letter is a great way to introduce yourself to an employer and explain away any questions they might have about you based on your resume information . Make sure you’re selecting the right format cover letter (paragraph, employer needs, shopping list) and that the information you include is relevant to the position you’re applying for.

5. Be honest:  I know we’ve said this again and again in multiple articles on this site, but it’s a sentiment that bears repeating. Be honest. Don’t pad your cover letter with jobs or duties you’ve never held or exaggerate ones you have just to impress an employer. The last thing you want to do is get a job you can’t do. Not only will you look bad, but it’ll haunt you down the line with other future potential employers. Be honest!

Putting It All Together

We promised you a much deeper look into cover letter format and I think we’ve managed to deliver just that!

A cover letter is intended to introduce you to your potential future employer and show them who you are in the best possible way…and now, thanks to this article, you shouldn’t have any problems! Who needs a second chance at a first impression if you do it right the first time?

Of course, reading about it is one thing, but seeing how these cover letters look is another. If you’re interested in seeing examples of how these cover letters look in person, head on over to our 12 Great Cover Letter Examples  article.

Just make sure, no matter which format you choose, that you’re tailoring it to the job you’re applying for, making sure to include relevant information, and that you’re using specific key words from the job posting and relating your skills directly to the needs of the employer.

And as always…good luck!

FREE : "Perfect Cover Letter" PDF CHEAT SHEET

Get our handy "Perfect Cover Letter" cheat sheet.

In it you'll get a step-by-step process that will let you craft the perfect cover letter.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE CHEAT SHEET

best font for cover letter 2020

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

Copyright © 2022 · TheInterviewguys.com · All Rights Reserved

best font for cover letter 2020

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Home Cover Letter Help Best Cover Letters of 2022

Best Cover Letter Examples of 2022 & Why They’re So Good

Aaron Case, CPRW

Scroll down to see eight of the best cover letter examples we’ve found in 2022, and learn what makes them great. Then use what you learn to make your own great cover letter.

Hiring managers contemplate the best cover letters they've received for a job opening.

The 8 best cover letters of 2022

Below are eight of the best cover letters our team has seen so far this year. While these cover letters might not work in every situation, they all have standout features that are easily adapted to any cover letter.

So take inspiration from these unique cover letter examples . Then copy (or download) the best cover letter template , and learn about how to write the best cover letter and the best cover letter format .

Using these resources to write your own cover letter will improve your chances of landing an interview (and hopefully the job too).

1. The professional cover letter

In this great cover letter example, the applicant landed a job by proving they had the required project management skills and experience with highlights from their career:

Why this is a good cover letter example

From the start, the applicant knows how to address a cover letter properly, referring to the hiring manager by name, rather than using the generic “ To Whom It May Concern .”

Then, the candidate introduces some of their basic qualifications, and establishes a personal connection to the organization. Doing so shows the hiring manager that the candidate did their research and cares about the needs of the company.

Following a great introduction, the candidate includes a list of job-relevant accomplishments . This list makes the candidate look perfect for the specific role they’re applying to fill.

2. The funny cover letter

This clever cover letter from former ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne is one of the best examples of how to land a job with a joke:

A picture of Kenny Mayne's cover letter, which is a great example of a clever cover letter

Submitting a cover letter like this one is a bold move, and wouldn’t work in most situations. But sometimes a little (or in this case, a lot) of confidence can go a long way.

Kenny’s clever take on the traditional cover letter caught the attention of ESPN executive John Walsh, and landed Mayne his dream job in sports media.

We don’t recommend you send a cover letter like this to employers, but it’s an excellent example of how, in the right circumstances and with enough confidence, a cleverly written cover letter can get you hired.

3. The most-improved cover letter

Below is an improved version of a wordy cover letter . The applicant discovered it in their email outbox years after submitting it, and sent it to experts to rewrite it as an experiment.

The result? Their cover letter now does a great job of selling their passion for the job, despite a lack of experience:

An image showing one of the best examples we've seen of an improved cover letter

The candidate’s original cover letter was difficult to read because of its length and unimpressive content that didn’t highlight their qualifications. It simply repeated bullets from their resume’s work experience and didn’t show their interest in the position.

The redone version, on the other hand, has concise paragraphs and an impactful opening line, making it much easier to read. And it highlights the candidate’s passion for the specific position they’re applying to fill.

Ultimately, this updated cover letter is much more likely to hook the hiring manager and help the candidate score an interview.

4. The fun-loving cover letter

This cover letter is an ideal example of how to balance professionalism with humor:

An image showing one of the best examples of a fun but professional cover letter

The candidate starts their cover letter by expressing their enthusiasm and summarizing their main qualifications, all in a fun, informal tone.

Additionally, they manage to balance their humor with substantial information about their professional achievements. This way, the hiring manager stays engaged and comes away with a good idea of the candidate’s skills and experience.

However, this approach isn’t for everyone. Adding some humor to your cover letter is a great idea if you’re applying in more casual fields like social media management. But you should avoid informal language when applying for positions in formal industries like law or accounting, because employers in these industries expect a traditional cover letter.

5. The short and sweet cover letter

This cover letter uses a simple, to-the-point approach:

An example of a good short cover letter

This short cover letter doesn’t waste any time explaining why the candidate is a good fit for the nursing position they’re trying to land. In a few concise paragraphs, the candidate states their interest in the position and confidently summarizes their professional achievements.

While cutting down on the details doesn’t work for every application, in this case the applicant knows exactly what the employer is looking for. The candidate then addresses that need directly, saving the hiring manager the work of finding the information they want in a long cover letter.

6. The unique cover letter

This sales cover letter is one of the best examples we’ve seen of how to mix creativity with professionalism:

An example of a great unique cover letter

In an industry as competitive as sales, you need your application to be convincing and memorable. This candidate takes that lesson to heart.

Starting with an unusual cover letter introduction helps this job seeker immediately set themselves apart from more traditional competitors. Then, they move into a convincing sales pitch about their relevant skills and qualifications.

Also, they present their most impressive accomplishments in an easy-to-read, eye-catching cover letter format by using:

By putting a unique twist on the cover letter and backing it up with a summary of their professional background, this candidate crafts a cover letter that’s both memorable and convincing.

7. The video cover letter

Here’s a perfect example of a video cover letter:

This applicant’s video cover letter works because they:

But when you submit a video cover letter — whether the job ad requests it or to stand out from other applicants — always send a traditional cover letter as well. Sending a written cover letter prevents hiring managers who prefer to read about your qualifications from ignoring your application.

8. The young applicant

This adorable cover letter probably didn’t land the applicant a job, but we have to give them credit for trying:

An example of an adorable six year old's cover letter

What this young candidate lacks in experience (or legal working age), they make up for in enthusiasm.

And they even provide real-life examples of why they think they’re qualified to manage the National Railway Museum. The best cover letters always have examples and hard numbers that prove the applicant can produce results.

The best cover letter template

Here’s the best cover letter template you can use to write your own. Either download it as a free Word file or copy and paste the text version, and fill in the blanks (marked with brackets) with your information:

The best cover letter template, with templated information in brackets and highlighted purple

Download Best Cover Letter Template (MS Word)

Best Cover Letter Template (Text Version)

(123) 456-7890  |  [email protected]  |  www.linkedin.com/in/your.name/

[Today’s Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name] [123 Company Address] [Company’s City, State, Zip Code] [(xxx) xxx-xxxx] [[email protected]]

Dear [Mr./Ms./Mx.] [Hiring Manager’s Last Name],

I was excited to see your listing for the [Position Name] position at [Company Name] on [Website Name] recently. As a dynamic [Your Occupation] with [# Years] of professional experience doing [Primary Work Task] to drive results, I’m confident that I’d be an asset to your team.

Your job listing mentions a need for someone knowledgeable in [Area of Expertise], which is an area I have extensive experience in. I’m currently employed at [Current Company Name], where I’ve honed my skills doing [Relevant Tasks Performed]. While employed here and at other companies listed on my resume, I have successfully:

I’m confident that my track record of excellent work ethic, unparalleled attention to detail, and knack for [Relevant Skill] will make me an immediate asset at [Company Name] and let me contribute to your success.

I look forward to discussing the [Position Name] position and my qualifications with you in more detail. I’m available to talk at your soonest convenience. I’ll be in touch next week to follow up, just to make sure you’ve received my application.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

[Your Name]

Why this is the best cover letter template

This is a great cover letter template because it has:

How to write the best cover letter

There’s no single right way to write the best cover letter, because no two applicants or job ads are exactly the same. But here are some general guidelines to help you make the best cover letter for your target job with your relevant skills and experience:

The best cover letter format

An excellent cover letter uses business letter formatting with:

Every structural detail of the best cover letters is also optimized, including:

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Aaron Case, CPRW

Written by Aaron Case, CPRW

Aaron Case is a Content Specialist & Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) at Resume Genius, where he loves writing resume and cover letter tips that give job... more

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How to write a cover letter in 2020 (with examples)

Table of Contents:

Related Stories:

This year has thrown a wrench in just about every plan imaginable. Everything from the way we shop to the way we work has undergone radical change thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic , and for job seekers, how to write a cover letter in 2020 is no exception. 

At the outset of this tumultuous year, you may have had a picture-perfect career path laid out before you with opportunities galore, but then, a global health crisis came along and decimated it all. Now, everything in your life is upside down, and worst of all, certain aspects of finding a job have changed. 

But, have no fear — things actually aren’t as different as you might think. Sure, you’ll need to approach writing a cover letter with a bit more finesse heading into 2021 than you would have this same time last year, but at the heart of it all, your cover letter will still address all of the ways that you are a standout candidate . 

What to include in a cover letter

At its core, a cover letter addresses your ability to perform the duties outlined in a job description. It explains how the qualifications that you possess make you the perfect hire by describing what you can bring to the table in the most eloquent way possible.

Where your resume may leave certain details to a potential employer’s imagination, your cover letter is the place where you do your best to fill in any gaps. With all of the twists and turns of 2020, these gaps may be ever-present and harder to explain in certain scenarios. 

Aside from the basic elements of a cover letter that an employer might want to see any other year, in 2020, hiring managers will want to hear more about how you’ve managed to stay resilient despite a world full of chaos. In other words: It’s OK to address the coronavirus-sized elephant in the room.

Your ability to explain just how you’ve handled the stress of it all here is key. But that “how” will look different depending on your individual circumstances.

How to format your cover letter

The general format for how to write a cover letter in 2020 remains pretty much on par with the formatting you’re likely familiar with from years past that include the items listed here:

While you don’t want your cover letter to run more than a page in length, some circumstances may dictate the need for another paragraph if you have a lot of ground to cover in one particular area and need to dedicate a few sentences to one topic.

What is included within each body paragraph will depend heavily on the job that you’re applying to, where you are in your career path , and any specifics that an employer has asked for within their job description. You’ll also want to tailor your writing to discuss any specific needs, skills, and circumstances that 2020 has shone a light on, but again, the specifics of this will truly depend on your individual circumstances.

Including your contact information hasn’t gone by the wayside either, just make sure to double-check your email address , since digital communication is now the preferred way for most employers to communicate with new hires. 

How to know what to write in your cover letter

If you’re drawing a complete blank in your mind trying to come up with the words to explain why someone should hire you , it can help to read through examples similar to the situation you’re in. It is especially helpful when trying to explain how the trials of 2020 may impact your ability to execute your professional skills.  

For jobseekers going through a career change , transitioning from self-employed into a company role, who have a gap in employment , are seeking a management role , are a recent graduate , or are only interested in remote work , the following examples may provide a bit of inspiration to draw from. 

2020 Cover letter example for a career change

Ladders News 2020 Cover Letter Example for a Gap in Employment

2020 Cover letter example for the transition from self-employed to the company role  

Ladders News 2020 Cover Letter Example for Transition from Self-employed to Company Role

2020 Cover letter example for gap in employment  

Ladders News 2020 Cover Letter Example for a Management Role

2020 Cover letter example for a management role  

Ladders News 2020 Cover Letter Example for Recent Graduate

2020 Cover letter example for working remotely

Ladders News 2020 Cover Letter Example for Working Remotely

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The best fonts for resumes, cover letters, email, and more

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Choosing a font is an important decision for business professionals. We've compiled a number of experts' insights to keep in mind when selecting a digital typeface.

best font for cover letter 2020

Language is inherently prone to indeterminacy. This risk of misinterpretation only increases with online correspondence, without the body language of in-person communication and the added richness of vocal cues. In the digital era, there are seemingly innumerable typefaces to choose from, including fonts that favor legibility , as well as more ornate options designed to jump off the screen. Finding the right balance is important and will vary from situation to situation.

Not all communications will demand the same air of professionalism; for instance, a seemingly candid approach to a job application may not bode well for a candidate’s chances. We spoke with business professionals and academics to gain a better understanding of the principles people should keep in mind when selecting their standard typeface.

SEE: COVID-19 workplace policy (TechRepublic Premium)

Bear in mind the psychology of fonts

While font choice may seem like a trivial decision, in digital business communication, the font acts as a key client-facing component. In a resume or cover letter, the font is an integral part of a candidate’s first impression. Jolene Caufield, a senior advisor at Healthy Howard, noted the importance of font psychology when selecting a digital typeface.

“Using the principles of font psychology, you should choose a font that stimulates and emboldens the letter’s function while properly conveying the intended tone of communication. For example, [using] traditional and formal fonts for your business letters will embody authority. However, using unique and [bolded] fonts as your subject line or title will promote better recall and will definitely leave an impact on the reader,” Caufield said via email.

Caufield also detailed considerations prospective employees should keep in mind when choosing a resume font, leaving ample room for personalization depending on one’s intent.

“For resumes, a fusion of formal, bold, and script fonts will go a long way to help you land that job. Going into detail, Serif fonts are the ones who portray formality and sophistication; Sans serif fonts are modern and neutral; Slab serifs are formal and contemporary; Script fonts are classic and elegant,” Caufield said.

SEE: Tips to help remote workers gear up for the day with balance and well-being in mind (TechRepublic)

Beware of the cutesy fonts

In business writing and formal emails, it’s important to choose a font that gives the appearance of professionalism. While more casual fonts may be an approachable choice for personal email correspondence, it may not necessarily exude competence. A situationally inappropriate font could leave an unintended impression on the recipient.

“Cutesy fonts (e.g., Comic Sans) give the impression that you’re unprofessional and immature. Many professionals have a knee-jerk adverse reaction to these fonts. Even for those that don’t care about fonts, it will flag as unusual, making you stand out in a not-favorable way. Used in a resume, they won’t add any value, and may actually hurt your chances,” said Jon Hill, Chairman and CEO at The Energists via email.

Consider aesthetics across the device spectrum

In the 21st century, digital communication is by no means limited to PCs and laptops. From dual monitor desktop setups and portable tablets to smartphones, people access business documents on a wide range of devices throughout the day. While one font may look great on one device, it may not necessarily translate as well to another.

“I tend to favor sans-serif fonts like Arial and Calibri for on-screen communications like e-mailed cover letters or business e-mails. They have a cleaner look for screens, especially when viewed on smaller smartphone screens,” Hill said.

Working professionals often access their email and other workplace documents on their mobile phones. Rolf Bax, CHRO at Resume.io, emphasized the importance of ensuring communication is tailored for a variety of devices, especially in the smartphone era.

“Typically, we do all of our work on client resumes in either Calibri or Arial because there is a tendency for serif fonts (such as Times New Roman) to display poorly on a computer monitor, and even worse on phone screens. Making your resume (and any electronic communication) mobile friendly is important given the considerable amount of work and communicating people do with their phones,” Bax said via email.

SEE: “Clock out” of remote work with these transitional tips (h/t, change clothes like Mister Rogers) (TechRepublic)

To help illustrate the importance of font choice, Bax provided an example situation in which one’s digital typeface misses its intended target audience due to the viewing device at hand.

“You don’t want the hiring manager reading a phone screen-sized PDF of your resume while on the train or subway to immediately next you because your serif font is too hard on their eyes,” Bax said. “A good rule to live by this far into the mobile internet era is that things should be mobile friendly–resumes, emails, e-books, website content. Serif fonts should be reserved for print.”

Avoid formatting issues

Aside from screen size, there are other compatibility issues to keep in mind when selecting the ideal font for business communication or the hiring process. Rather than using a less common font choice to stand out in the crowd, it may be best to heed the fundamentals of Murphy’s Law for the sake of usability and simplicity.

“Not everyone has the same fonts installed on their computer, so if you use a non-standard font it might not display the way you intended. This could end up throwing off the formatting of your resume or document and giving it a messy, unprofessional look overall,” Hill said.

Some candidates include a headshot and list hobbies to add personality to their resumes and cover letters; more eye-catching font choices are another way to stand out in a competitive job market. However, by introducing more elements to the mix, individuals only increase the risk of error by the time their documents hit the end-user’s screen.

“While it is tempting to go with something a bit fancier, applicants who use non-standard fonts run a risk of introducing unintended formatting issues when their applications or resumes are processed by electronic applicant tracking systems,” said Brett Atwood, associate professor at The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University via email.

Know your audience

In general, keeping the font simple, standard, and safe may be the best rule to follow in most settings. A basic font may not wow the recipient, but, then again most people probably aren’t anticipating a transformative experience when opening an email or scanning a job candidate’s documents. Whether it’s an email exchange or a prospective employee’s one shot at landing an interview, clarity and coherence are central objectives in most situations.

“Unless you are applying for a job in graphic design, most employers are going to be focused on substance over style when it comes to your resume. Stick with the default fonts whenever possible or make sure that you are using clean and simple-to-read fonts like Arial or Verdana,” Atwood said.

Get past an ATS

In the digital era, most prospective job candidates will submit their application via an online applicant tracking system (ATS) to organize and streamline the hiring process. That said, compatibility will vary depending on both the font and the system; as a result, it may be best to err on the side of caution when submitting a resume. After all, it’s better to be safe than digitally cast to the wayside.

“Readability is a major issue when it comes to getting a resume past the [ATS] software used by recruiters. Resumes with chaotic formatting using artsy fonts like Papyrus etc. will raise the red flag fast,” said Deepak Shukla founder of ResumeCats via email.

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Best Font for Resume: Size, Standard & Professional Pairings

Best Font for Resume: Size, Standard & Professional Pairings

Christian Eilers, CPRW

As seen in:

What is the best font for a resume? Any fonts to avoid? And font size?  Serif or sans serif? What about bolding and italicizing ? And those pesky section heading titles?

So many questions surround such a seemingly everyday task as choosing a font! With this quick read, you’ll choose the perfect font for your resume.

This font guide will show you:

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .

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Sample resume made with our builder— See more resume examples here .

What Font to Use for a Resume

Recruiters and hiring managers take 7 seconds to initially scan your resume, according to our HR statistics report . That’s just about how long it takes the average person to read these two sentences. The font you pick has to be legible. Here are our recommendations:

Resume Font Size

The standard font size for resumes is 12 points in a classic and easily readable font. Larger fonts are good for emphasizing your name and section headings. If you can't fit your content on one page you could try using a sans-serif font at 10 points, but that's the minimum font size you should use. 

Common Resume Fonts

Now let's take a look at each of our recommended resume fonts in more detail.

Best Font for Resume in 2023:

best fonts for resume

Lucas de Groot, a Dutch type designer, was commissioned by Microsoft to create Calibri to replace good old Times New Roman as the default font for Office. It’s a contemporary font that simply tries to maximize relatability, skipping dated serifs but without the intense flourish of other modern fonts—perfect for today’s resumes.

Pros : As a default font, Calibri will usually render correctly when a hiring manager opens your resume. It’s a professional and easy-to-read font, and it won the TDC2 2005 Type System award from the Type Directors Club.

Cons : As a default font, it also means other job seekers may use Calibri, which means your resume might not stand out from others.

Alternative : Carlito is a font created by Google that is a match for Calibri, metrically compatible, and intended as an open-source substitute.

best fonts for resume

Like Calibri, Cambria was also commissioned by Microsoft by a Dutchman and created in 2004. With its serifs (those little lines at the end of each stroke in a letter; we’ll get to them soon), Microsoft states that it was “designed for on-screen reading and to look good when printed at small sizes.” And that makes it a great font for the content of your resume and cover letter.

Pros : Cambria makes it easy for readers to quickly decipher smaller text sizes.

Cons : It is often described as “traditional,” which may make it less suitable for more modern jobs.

Alternative : Caladea is a font created by Google that is a match for Calibri, metrically compatible, and intended as an open-source substitute. However, it seems now that Google Docs includes Cambria to choose from, as well.

3. Helvetica

best fonts for resume

A Swiss designer created Helvetica, a neo-grotesque typeface; Originally named Neue Haas Grotesk, it was soon licensed by Linotype and renamed to resemble the Latin word for Switzerland, “Helvetia.” It’s a font that remains popular in the advertising industry as a gorgeous, easy-to-read sans-serif font. Both the New York City subway system and major corporations like BMW use Helvetica for their signs.

Pros : A lot of professionals rank Helvetica as one of the more beautiful sans-serif fonts. A perfect font to use on a CV!

Cons : Helvetica comes preloaded on Macs, but you aren’t going to find it listed under fonts in Microsoft Word. You’re going to have to buy it if you want to use it and don’t have a Mac.

Alternatives : Arial is the default font for Google Docs and also a standard font for Microsoft Word, which means it will display correctly cross-platform and on most computers. To most non-specialists, it is difficult to distinguish the differences. Roboto is another, less-similar resume font alternative created by Google and available for open use.

Pro Tip: Even if you save your resume as a .pdf file, the font can go screwy in transit. To make sure your typeface stays intact, embed the font in the file. When saving (or “printing”) as .pdf in Microsoft Word, go to Options > Save and check the item that reads “Embed fonts in the file” or similar.

best fonts for resume

Designed for Microsoft in the early 90s, Georgia is still one of the most popular fonts used today; it’s used by the New York Times online and by many big corporations, such as Yahoo, Amazon, and Twitter. Georgia is a font that’s easy to read online, making it ideal if you plan to send your resume as a PDF.

Pros : You can find Georgia across writing platforms. It’s accessible and a fine replacement font for other serif typefaces, like Times New Roman. Recently (2013) re-released and updated, so it’s up to date.

Cons : Georgia’s popularity may make it hard for you to stand out. Also, it was inspired by Scotch Roman designs of the 19th century, so if you want to stand out, you might want to go with something else.

Alternative : Times New Roman remains one of the most-used resume fonts, even today. People love to hate it because it’s not a creative font, but it’s still a safe (if boring) choice for most job seekers.

best fonts for resume

Matthew Carter created Verdana for Microsoft as the sans-serif sister to Georgia. He designed the font so that it is easy to read in small print on computer screens. Verdana remains one of the best professional fonts for resumes, CVs, and cover letters alike.

Pros : Great for job seekers who need to squeeze more onto their resumes, as it was optimized for small-print legibility.

Cons : If you’re seeking a “wow” CV font, keep on looking. Verdana doesn’t look all that different from Arial and Arial looks like Helvetica.

Alternative : The Futura font is a common replacement for Verdana; however, in 2010, Ikea switched from using Futura to using Verdana. They paid millions to their marketing team to come up with that suggestion, so make of that what you will.

6. Garamond

best fonts for resume

Garamond is a family of fonts with a long history, coming from 15th and 16th-century designs. Many describe Garamond as timeless. Jean Jannon later designed a similar typeface that most other digital versions of Garamond resemble. Monotype’s version, dated 1922, is bundled with Microsoft products and remains the most popular of this typography family.

Pros : Among designers and ad managers, Garamond is a favorite. It meets all the requirements of a good resume font: easy to read, attractive, classy, and not something everyone and their mother uses.

Cons : Some might say that Garamond’s timelessness is just a more optimistic way of saying that it’s old; it is from the 1400s, remember?

Alternative : Cormorant is inspired by Garamond’s design, but it is openly available and Google Fonts financed the development to enable its libre release.

7. Trebuchet MS

best fonts for resume

A trebuchet is a medieval siege engine that launches projectiles of slow, painful death (such as buckets of stones or dead bodies to spread disease) long distances and over defending walls. Vincent Connare "thought that would be a great name for a font that launches words across the Internet". Connare knows his fonts—he is behind the world-renowned (but not resume-friendly) Comic Sans font, as well.

Pros : Microsoft released Trebuchet as one of their core fonts for the web. You can find it easily even on competitors such as Google Docs.

Cons : If you want to utilize some additional features for the Trebuchet MS font, such as small caps or text figures, you’ll have to pay for the commercial version, Trebuchet Pro.

Alternative : Fira Sans is a decent alternative to Trebuchet, and it is openly available on Google Fonts. Also, Source Sans Pro is freely available for commercial use.

best fonts for resume

Łukasz Dziedzic, a Polish typeface designer, designed the Lato font for a large corporate client, which is why he wanted this typeface to have both serious and friendly qualities. That dual nature gave it the “feeling of the summer,” so he named the font after the Polish word for summer.

Pros : As an open source font (SIL Open Font License), you can download and use it for free. Lato is also a corporate font, so you can rest assured that it’ll work well on your resume. It can be found in the Google Font library openly.

Cons : Lato is not a standard Microsoft Word font. That might mean that it will not load when some hiring managers open your resume.

Alternative : Open Sans is a great replacement for Lato, being one of the most popular professional fonts on the web today, openly available, and able to be used commercially.

9. Book Antiqua

best fonts for resume

If you imagine modern resume templates ought to prefer typography named Web Nova or Selfie Futura instead of this, you’d be wrong. Book Antiqua is a Microsoft clone of the industry-fave Palatino font, and it is one of the best serif fonts to use for resumes.

Pros : As a Microsoft version of Palatino, it is readily available on most operating systems and office programs.

Cons : Palatino is based on humanist styles of the Italian Renaissance, so it may make your resume feel, well, antiqua .

Alternative : Iowan Old Style is similar, stylistically, but with its higher x-height, it is more easily read on screens and small displays. Also, Apple licensed it, so it is available by default on Macs and Pages.

best fonts for resume

Didot is an elegant font designed by Firmin Didot just before the French Revolution. While not as old and classic as Garamond, it was born during the Enlightenment and the reign of Marie Antoinette, so it’s a good font for dressing up your resume.

Pros : Many professionals associate the font with fashion; Ralph Lauren and Marks & Spencer use Didot on their websites. Its elegance qualifies as a safe choice if you must go with something fancy.

Cons : You must purchase Didot if you want to use it on your resume. Too much Didot on a page takes it from tastefully elegant to endangering your resume from suffering the same fate as Madame Déficit .

Alternative : Bodoni is a font family with numerous variations. You’ll have more to sort through, but many are also available freely to the public.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building a  professional resume template here for free .

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

Alternative Fonts

The above are our list of best resume fonts, but what if you’re using an online builder, like ours, which isn’t allowed to distribute many of those fonts commercially? Or what if you want a less-common alternative?

My suggestion for an alternative font is to use Google’s very own Noto font family . Noto stands for “ NO more TO fu,” tofu being the term for the boxes that replace letters or symbols that a system can’t render.

best fonts for resume

According to Google, “Noto provides pan-language harmony, yet maintains authenticity. The goal is great online readability across languages without losing the character that makes each script special.”

Noto fonts, available in both serif and sans-serif versions, cover a whopping 93 different language scripts (alphabets), almost 600 languages, and over 230 geographical regions on earth. It truly is a world-uniting font, perfect for today’s globalized industries, and one I highly recommend.

Serif vs. Sans-Serif

comparison of sans serif and serif fonts

What is a serif font?

Serifs refer to the little lines at the end of each stroke in a letter; these fonts are referred to as a serif, or serifed, typeface. They originated way back in Roman antiquity, and they may feel dated compared with similar sans-serif counterparts.

What are sans-serif fonts?

Sans-serif fonts are those that do not have the lines at the end of each stroke; because of that, designers often describe them as fresh, modern, and good for resumes.

Serif or sans-serif fonts for my resume?

Serif fonts are said to be slightly easier to read, as those little brushstrokes on each letter help your hiring manager’s brain to compute what they’re reading just a little bit faster. However, sans-serif fonts are prized on modern resumes for their contemporary look and seamless integration with today’s resume designs.

What About Italics and Bold?

Bold text is great for drawing particular attention to a few words. Though you may have already increased the font size for titles, bolding can help subtitles stand out without having to enlarge them.

Italics are useful for supporting text, just like the smaller font size we mentioned before. Use them in places like the city and state related to a university of a degree listing, for example.

Avoid underlining words or phrases in a resume or cover letter, as it just adds too much formatting and makes the document feel cluttered.

Pairing Fonts

example of font pairing in resume header

One common trick that many visually-inclined resume makers use is to pair two fonts on a resume. The best font pairs agree with each other, work together in harmony, and don’t fight the reader for attention.

Many job seekers who pair fonts choose two contrasting typefaces, perhaps a standard script with a cursive script, or sans-serif with serif. Then, they would use one for the main content, and the other for larger elements, such as their name and section titles.

Make sure the font on your resume is consistent with your cover letter font , too!

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

matching set of resume and cover letter

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

So, what’d you think? Not so hard, after all, was it?

How to choose good resume font

Choosing good resume fonts comes down to this:

Have any questions on how to choose the best resume font? Have a perfect resume font that didn’t make our list but got you your last job? Share it with us or just give us a shout in the comments below and we’ll answer your question. Thanks for reading!

Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Font for a Resume

What is the best font for a resume.

Consider sans-serif fonts like Arial, Verdana, and Helvetica, which are known for their clarity. You can also use the tried-and-true ones like Times New Roman or Georgia. The same rule applies when creating a CV and looking for the best CV fonts.

Best fonts for a resume have to meet the following criteria:

If you use a professional resume builder , you’ll be able to fill out your resume first and then play around with fonts and resume layouts to find the best fit—without having to start each time anew.

What is the best font size and format for a resume?

For proper resume formatting , go with 11–12 pts for the main body (10 if absolutely necessary) and 14–16 pts for resume headings . Make sure your font of choice reads well with the size. Times New Roman is a classic, but if you prefer a cleaner look, explore sans-serif fonts (like Verdana or Helvetica). Stay away from heavy and cursive fonts (no Comic Sans!). Also, feel free to use bold type , italics , and underlining to make your resume easier to read (and highlight the important bits).

When you have all the information filled out, you’ll see if you can afford to go down a font size or if you should consider a two-column resume structure. Don’t sacrifice readability to fit your document into one sheet, though. It’s a misconception that your resume should be one page always—if you’re an experienced candidate, two pages are fine.

What is the best font for the ATS?

There are only a couple of fonts that will help you get past the ATS. The best ones are Times New Roman and Arial. Besides, Arial will allow you to fit as much information on the page as possible (but always consider if a two-page resume would be a better choice).

Keep in mind that utilizing unconventional fonts to create an eye-catching resume may prevent it from being ATS-compliant . Instead, make proper use of headings and bold type to separate the sections and make the document look presentable.

What is the best font for a professional or executive resume?

Here are some professional resume fonts to pick from:

Creating a perfect resume for any industry starts with ensuring good readability, so make sure your resume is well-structured and has enough white space. The best resumes for business environments usually avoid overly creative resume templates and fonts, steering toward a more classic look.

Is Times New Roman outdated?

It’s conservative, but not at all outdated. In fact, if you’re applying for a job in a more traditional sphere, it may be just right. So, if you’re creating a resume in Word , and your first instinct is to choose Times New Roman, don’t fight it. It reads great, it’s familiar, and it looks professional. Make sure not to go below 10.5 pts, though, as it will affect readability.

If you’d like to create a more modern style resume , try space-efficient sans-serifs like Tahoma, Verdana, or Arial. Also, don’t forget about standard resume margins (one inch on all sides).

Christian Eilers, CPRW

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These Are The Best Fonts For Your Resume In 2023

best font for cover letter 2020

When it comes to crafting the perfect resume to land your dream job, you probably think of just about everything but the font. But font is a key part of your first impression to recruiters and employers.

In this post, I'm going to walk you through the 10 best fonts for your resume (and when to use each). We'll also talk about why employers care about font choice and how you can use it to set yourself apart from the competition.

Does Your Resume Font Really Matter?

Imagine an ad for a sleek, ultra-thin cell phone. What kind of design and font do you picture in the marketing materials?

You probably dreamed up something as slender and condensed as the phone itself. You wouldn’t expect a marketing team to use anything flowery, ornate, or thick and bold if they’re trying to get customers to think thin:

iPhone XR Ad illustrating the impact of font choice

Image courtesy of Apple.com

Now imagine an ad for a fantasy novel. How would the words pop on the page?

You probably didn’t imagine something traditional and straightforward, right? If you’re going to dive into a fairy tale universe packed with dragon-slayers and towering castles, you’ll probably expect to see a font with a few flourishes and curlicues.

Font choice is a crucial part of any marketing team’s design. Every aspect of an advertisement’s design, from the imagery to the layout, and the way the words appear on the page, should get a potential customer thinking positively about the product or service being sold.

When you craft your resume, think of yourself as a marketing team of one. You’re designing for the recruiter’s or employer’s first impression of you with your cover letter and resume. You’re selling yourself in every aspect of your self-branding, from content to timeliness and format.

When your name lands on an employer’s desk or in their inbox, you want them to come away with a great impression of you! They aren’t seeing you in person, and there are no other context clues to give them any other ideas than what you present them with–even something as seemingly small as format or font. Because everything they see about you will be written in your chosen font, it will make a much bigger difference than you might imagine!

You don’t have to take my word for it, either. There’s plenty of scientific evidence to prove that font affects consumers’ perceptions of a product or company, and employers’ perceptions of job applicants:

The Psychology of Font Selection (Infographic)

One study at Wichita State University , for example, showed that respondents associated fonts like Times New Roman and Arial with stability. Courier New and Georgia meant “maturity” in participants’ minds, while Agency FB was associated with rigidity and Kristen symbolized excitement.

Other sources indicate  that it’s not just the font choice, but the consistency of that choice with other aspects of marketing, that really makes the difference. If font and other visual and tonal elements (like resume design, formatting, paragraphs, graphics, and style choices like bold and italics) all give the same consistent message — such as “this applicant has the relevant skills,” “this applicant is reliable and dependable,” or “this applicant is creative and visually-oriented,” that message is likelier to stick in your reader’s brain. But if just one aspect, like font, is off, it could undermine the entire message, weakening every aspect of your introduction.

Remember that the presentation of your resume and cover letter together are a way for you to self-brand. If your brand messaging is consistent across design and content, form and function, font and tone, you’re much likelier to make a sale–or, in this case, to get invited for an interview.

What’s The Big Deal About Resume Fonts?

So, why does a small thing like font choice make such a big impact on your ability to get hired?

Our brains make connections every second, working overtime to flesh out the meaning of everything we read and see. We connect certain aesthetics and words with emotions, character traits, and moods.

Think about it: You’d probably feel confused if you went to a fresh fruit smoothie shop and saw grungy, gritty, dark décor. That’s because, due to your past experiences, you probably already associate smoothie shops with breezy, tropical environments and bright, cheery colors.

As typeface designer and author Cyrus Highsmith told The Week , “Typography is the detail and the presentation of a story. It represents the voice of an atmosphere, or historical setting of some kind. It can do a lot of things.”

Think of the typography as the mood-setter for your resume; instead of lighting a candle, you’re creating an atmosphere with the aesthetic of your font and other design choices.

We bring our past experiences and myriad associations to everything we do. Your resume font should activate those connections in your recruiters’ and potential employers’ minds, causing them to connect you with traits like professionalism, honesty, and skill.

Like each applicant, each font has a “personality.” If a font is difficult to read or doesn’t reflect the job you’re applying for, it could leave a recruiter with a bad taste in their mouth (even if they aren’t aware of it). And because you’ve already put so much thought and effort into your resume, you don’t want something small like font selection to have a negative impact.

What Fonts to Avoid on Your Resume

I'm sure you know of one or two fonts that could make even the best written resume look unprofessional.

For example, you’re probably well aware to avoid a playful font like Comic Sans . But there are a few other fonts to avoid that may not be so obvious. So, let’s quickly take a look at them.

Times New Roman. I’m sure you know this popular font well. And, typically, it’s fine for letters and college papers. But for resumes? Not so much. Reserve this font for contracts and reports.

Arial. Pretty much everything I just said about Times New Roman can be applied to Arial. It’s okay, but it could come across as boring when you have so many other great options.

Courier. Here’s another popular one that seems fine. But this font has a fixed width between letters. And that can make it appear too boxy or robotic for resumes.

Futura. This is another font that may appear okay at first glance. But still it should be avoided. Its circular shape is a bit too decorative for a text-heavy document like your resume.

Papyrus. This font looks interesting, but it has a bit too much personality for a resume. I wouldn't recommend using it as a hiring manager would find this distracting.

Next, we’ll go over how to make the best possible impression with your resume typeface.

Once you choose a font you like, you can use my free resume builder to create a beautiful, ATS-friendly resume that actually gets results. It won't cost you a penny:

Screenshot of free resume templates in my free resume builder tool

How to Choose the Best Font for Your Resume

The two most important factors when selecting a font for your resume are readability and professionalism.

The last thing you want to do is to make a recruiter or employer’s life harder, so when building your resume , your font should always be straightforward and highly readable. They shouldn’t have to squint to read overly light, thin fonts, or struggle to make out complex symbols or typefaces.

Professionalism, meanwhile, is all about tone. Just as we discussed in the previous section, even “silent” choices like font and formatting can convey tone as easily as your word choice. The tone of your font should match the tone of your workplace personality and your level of professionalism.

In terms of both readability and professionalism, there are a few broad “font families” that we commonly associate with the workplace and with professional settings. Let’s go over each of the five main font families, or broad categories, from which you have to choose when you’re writing your resume , cover letter , or references .

The Differences Between “Font Families”

Every font belongs to a “family” of fonts, which have similar characteristics and leave similar (though not identical) impressions. The first decision you have to make in terms of selecting a resume font is which font family is best for your goals.

These are the five broad categories that fonts fall into:

Serif: Serif fonts, like Times New Roman, belong to one of the largest and most common “font families.” Letters in serif fonts have decorative serifs, or little “tails,” on certain character strokes.

Sans Serif: Sans serif literally means “without serif,” so you can guess these typefaces don’t have–tails! Examples of sans serif typefaces include Arial and Helvetica. Sans serif typefaces have become highly popular in the digital marketplace, partly because of their less formal, more straightforward and minimalist look.

Monospace: Commonly associated with newspapers and typewriters, monospace fonts like Courier and Courier New were designed so that each letter would take up the same amount of space on a given line. Each letter is the same width. This allows for clean, consistent graphic design, as there’s no size variability between the characters. Monospace fonts have also become a popular design choice in recent years because they’re a bit nostalgic, calling back to the days of typewriters and telegrams.

Cursive: Cursive fonts, like the famous Comic Sans, are meant to appear handwritten or “scribbled” to give text a personalized touch. Certain fonts in this category might be rarely used in professional settings, but in the vast majority of cases, these are used for graphic design or marketing materials rather than cover letters or CVs.

Fantasy: Fantasy fonts are not useful for resumes or cover letters–there might be an out-there exception, but I haven’t found any yet–but they are used for decorative and design purposes, like signage and certain marketing materials. Examples of fantasy typefaces include Impact and Western. They are typically used for headers or other shorter texts, because they’re not the easiest to read.

What’s The Best Font Option For Your Resume?

In today’s world, a clean, modern sans serif font is recommended. This is partly because the workforce has gone increasingly digital, making even professional interactions slightly less formal and more straightforward and concise.

Sans serif fonts are more contemporary in look and feel than the more conformist and traditional serif fonts. They cater to today’s minimalist, cut-to-the-chase, 280-character-driven economy. They cut out all the extra distraction and get right to the point, just like you want to do in your job search.

While you might make a different decision for your resume font in your job search–if you’re in an ultra-traditional and more conservative profession that expects a high level of formality, for example — sans serif fonts are generally the best option.

Now that we’ve narrowed it down to a certain font family, we’ll break down the top 10 best resume fonts and what job categories they might be ideal for.

Breaking Down The 10 Best Resume Fonts

In 2020’s marketplace, these are the 10 best resume fonts based on reliability, perception, and style:

For each one, we’ll delve a bit into the font’s history and aesthetic, as well as its pros and cons and when to use each:

Example of Open Sans Font For Resume

Open Sans, released in 2011, is one of Google’s signature fonts. Its letters are tall and wide.

Pros: Open Sans is wildly popular for web design for a reason: optimal readability. The wide-open letters are easy to read on any screen, big or small. Because it’s used as Mozilla’s default font in many cases, and for many Google pages, it’s familiar to the eye.

Cons: Open Sans is widely perceived as “flat” or “neutral,” which can be a very good thing for a resume. But if you want to stand out a bit or for your resume to have a bit more personality, it might not be the best choice.

Alternatives: Adelle Sans is similar to Open Sans and is a great substitute.

Example of Calibri Font For Resume

Calibri came on the scene in the early 2000s as the Microsoft Word replacement for the classic Times New Roman.

Pros: Calibri can be easily read on any computer and won’t mess up the formatting no matter where it’s sent. Everyone has seen it before, so it’s not distracting. It’s a sans serif font, so it’s clean and sleek. It’s a good choice for a standard resume or for work at a digital-first company.

Cons: Calibri is a little “safe,” as it’s the default Microsoft Word font and is used by many other applicants. But standing out from the pack isn’t always the best goal when it comes to resume font. Instead, you want your resume itself to do the work. But Calibri might not be the best choice for a creative career at a quirky company.

Alternative: Arial, which is the default typeface for Google Docs, is somewhat similar to Calibri in its optimal readability for the web. It’s also similarly straightforward and legible.

Example of Helvetica Font For Resume

Helvetica was designed in the 1950s and comes with a little bit of elegance and flourish. It’s frequently rated as one of the more attractive typefaces.

Pros: Helvetica is a softer, beautiful sans serif typeface. It’s modern while still being a bit pretty and not too stark. Because it’s not always used for resumes, it stands out a bit without being too far “out there.” It might be a good choice for a design company (especially because it’s frequently used in graphic design ) or a profession that puts a premium on aesthetic.

Cons: Helvetica is only pre-loaded on Macs, so it will convert to a different font on other systems.

Alternatives: Swiss, Arial, and Folio are all similar to Helvetica in “font personality.”

Example of Avenir Font For Resume

Avenir comes from the French word meaning “future.” Designed in 1988, this geometric sans serif font is warm and lively, with curved edges and a few selective tails.

Pros: Avenir isn’t odd enough to be distracting, but it’s not a standard “safe” resume font. It might be a good choice for a future-forward company. It’s also consistently rated one of the favorite fonts of designers , so it could be good for any aesthetic-focused or creative profession. Finally, it’s versatile: It comes in a variety of weights.

Cons: Avenir is not a very common choice for resumes, so it might be a tad jarring to a highly traditional or formal eye. Alternatives: Nunito, with its rounded letters, is very similar to Avenir.

Example of Lato Font for Resume

Lato, designed in 2010, is named after the Polish word for “summer” because it was meant to be as cheery as the warmest season. It is professional enough to be serious, but has a touch of brightness in its typeface style.

Pros: Lato is an increasingly common choice for resumes because of how readable it is. It’s an approachable and stylish font, while remaining professional. Finally, Lato is open-source, which means anyone can download it for free.

Cons: Lato is not one of the resume “classics,” which is always a tiny bit of a gamble. Microsoft Word does not list Lato as one of its defaults, which means it won’t show up for every recruiter or employer. If you download and install the font, make sure you send your resume to PDF format so the recruiter/hiring manager will see the same formatting you do!

Alternatives: Brandon Grotesque and Open Sans are both similar to Lato.

Example of Roboto Font For Resume

Released by Google in 2011, Roboto probably looks familiar, especially if you do a lot of traveling: It’s used for Google Maps. It’s similar to the other fonts optimized for the web, with a more slender, sleek typeface.

Pros: Because it’s open-source, Roboto is free for anyone to use. It’s also optimized for web readability, so like Open Sans, it’s legible on any screen. It’s also sleek and contemporary, so it’s great for any modern company, especially those that put web presence at a premium (such as marketing).

Cons: Roboto appears a little less formal than some other fonts, so it’s not ideal for academic applications or very traditional work environments.

Alternatives: Roboto is somewhat similar in style to Helvetica and Arial.

best font for cover letter 2020

Avant Garde

Inspired by the 1920s German Bauhaus movement, Avant Garde is a unique typeface that is having a comeback after being used frequently in 1970s advertisements. Its letters are wide, and several of them have quirky flourishes, like the sloped “v” and curliqued Q.

Pros: Avant Garde is interesting enough to stand out while remaining readable for the web. It’s a solid choice for creative types and people who want to highlight their unique personalities.

Cons: Avant Garde is, well, avant garde. It’s not a default or standard resume font, so it’s not the best choice for an executive-level position in a traditional field.

Alternatives: Avant Garde is similar to Harmonia Sans.

Example of Museo Font For Resume

Released in 2009, Museo began with the uppercase “U,” with two flatly curved horizontal tails. It’s warm and approachable.

Pros: Museo is frequently used in web design. It would be a great choice for a customer service or sales job that requires a friendly, open demeanor, or for work in an artisanal or artistic field like fashion or design. It’s open-source, so it’s free to use.

Cons: Museo is warm and friendly, but that can be a drawback if your recruiter is highly traditional. It might be distracting in some cases.

Alternatives: Use Calvert in place of Museo if you’re looking for a similar vibe.

Example of Georgia Font For Resume

Georgia was released in 1993 and is widely used by companies like Amazon, The New York Times, and Yahoo as a default font. It’s a serif font, so it has a classic look with a bit of warmth.

Pros: Georgia was specifically designed to be read on screens, so it’s highly accessible for screen readers with visual impairments and is legible even on mobile phones. It’s professional and standard while still having a touch of fun and flair.

Cons: Georgia is so widely used and familiar that it might not make you stand out among other applicants.

Alternatives: Georgia and Times New Roman are often used interchangeably. Georgia almost appears to be an “updated” version of TNR.

Example of Garamond Font For Resume

Garamond came out in 1989, but it has a much longer history. The typeface was inspired by 16th-century design and is often used in print.

Pros: Garamond has an old-school, vintage look that lends it a touch of class. It’s a good example of a font with a distinct personality, making it a solid choice for academic or literary fields.

Cons: Garamond’s retro look means it’s probably not ideal for ultra-contemporary companies.

Alternatives: Cormorant, Sabon, and Minion are strong alternatives to Garamond.

How About Font Combinations & Pairs?

Now that you know which fonts should play best on your resume, you may be wondering if combining a few will get you even better results.

When it comes to leveraging combinations or pairs of multiple fonts, my recommendation is to avoid it completely. The rule of thumb should be one font per resume.

It comes down to efficiency and improving our odds. Using a single font will ensure that things are consistent and that they look good. As soon as we introduce multiple fonts, we have to consider how they pair with one another and, if we're being honest, the average person doesn't always have the best eye for design (myself included!).

You don't want to end up in a situation where you're distracting the read with weird font choices. Keep it simple and pick one. You can always personalize it using font weights and formatting.

The Best Font Size for Your Resume

Remember that readability is one of the most important aspects of resume font choice.

Font size is a key aspect of your reader’s ability to scan your resume quickly, pick out the important parts, and come away with a solid, positive impression of you. A recruiter might be sifting through dozens or even hundreds of resumes at a time (or more), and making their job simpler is the first and easiest way to make yours stand out in a good way.

It can be be tempting to cram every last thing you’ve ever done onto your resume, but cutting out the extraneous parts of your work history can do you some good in more ways than one. With too many sections on your resume, it can quickly become overwhelming to the eye.

What’s more, if you include too much content, you’ll probably be required to shrink your font size to 10 (never, ever go below 10!). But a slightly larger font size gives employers a better impression; one study at Stephen F. Austin University showed that resumes using 12-pt. font were evaluated more highly than those in 10-pt. font.

Charting Visualizing Data That Shows Recruiters Prefer 12 Point Resume Font

Since the ultimate goal is to make your resume as easy to read as you possibly can, the optimal font size is between 12 and 14. 10 can be used if you’re highly experienced and have an extremely lengthy resume, but it’s not ideal. Try cutting out a few things that aren’t directly relevant to the job at hand and see if you can make your resume a little easier on the eyes with a larger font.

This exercise can also improve your resume overall by making it more straightforward and concise. No matter how much you might want to include your high school volunteer history, it’s much more important that a recruiter sees only the most relevant and applicable education and work experience right away–no muss, no fuss.

In the same vein, be wary of any light or thin fonts, as your reader will likely get frustrated if your resume is hard to read. Use black instead of grey or any other color so that your resume is optimized for readability.

4 Tips You Can Use To Leverage Formatting & Make Your Resume Font Pop

In addition to choosing a font, you can also use various formatting styles to make certain areas of your resume stand out.

Tip #1: The first rule of resume formatting is to use any special styles, like bold or italics, sparingly. You don’t want your reader to feel overwhelmed by mixed styles or too many italics sections on a page. Be selective about any special characters. White space is your resume’s best friend, and will allow your reader to scan the documents quickly, cherry-picking the most important parts with ease.

Tip #2: The next rule of using bold and italics on your resume are to do so consistently. It might seem like an obvious rule, but it’s also often broken. If you bold your previous job titles and use italics for subtitles, for example, do so for every previous job you list, even if they’re different in some way. Establish a pattern with your style choices right away, and your reader will follow your lead.

Tip #3: You can use bold in your resume to highlight specific key aspects of your background that are relevant to a given job, or to set apart particular sections for optimal scan-ability. For example, you could use bold to highlight special skills you used (such as expertise in a given software program) that are specifically mentioned in the job description. Or, you could use bold, along with a slightly larger font size, for headings.

Tip #4: Italics, meanwhile, are best used for subtitles below headings, or for extra emphasis on a specific aspect of your education or work history, like measurable outcomes. For example, you could use italics to denote the dates during which you worked at a particular job. They’re also frequently used to share quantitative data, like “Grew quarterly sales by 13%.”

Should You Use Different Colored Fonts On Your Resume?

As I've mentioned above, finding ways to stand out on your resume is key.

Typefaces, font size, and general formatting are subtle ways to inject personality into your resume. Colors are a bit more direct.

Adding a splash of color can make your resume pop! I've personally done it on my own resume, check it out:

Example of Austin's resume with different font colors

It's easy to go overboard and end up with a resume that looks tacky or gimmicky.

Notice how I've only injected color into a few areas of my resume and I kept things consistent. If want to do this yourself, I only recommend changing the colors for:

I'd recommend picking three of those four so you don't go overboard. Also, I'd recommend keeping things to a single color. Adding multiple colors to your resume is distracting and confusing.

How To Find & Download Non-Standard Resume Fonts (For Free!)

You may have noticed that a few of the fonts I recommended don't show up when you try to find them in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

Despite being some of the best choices out there for your resume, these fonts aren't always part of the standard package with Microsoft or Google. The good news is, you can easily download and add them yourself without spending a dime! You can learn more about the difference between OTF, TTF, and Web font files here .

Here's how to add custom fonts to Microsoft Word:

Adding new fonts to Google Docs is much easier. All you need to do is:

Note: If you're using Google Docs for your resume, make sure you export it as a PDF and not a Word document. PDFs take a “snapshot” of your document as is so your formatting and style will be consistent across devices. Microsoft Word versions vary across devices and different operating systems view Word files differently. If you save and/or send as a Word document your formatting, style, and resume font may get messed up. Not a great first impression!

Resume Fonts: The Bottom Line

We’ve gone through every aspect of resume fonts, from why they matter in the first place to how to choose the best one to fit your professional goals.

Remember to keep readability and professionalism in mind when you choose a font for your cover letter and CV. When in doubt, select a contemporary sans serif typeface and a 12-14-pt. font size. Use bold and italics consistently but sparingly, and remember that white space is your friend.

In addition, the way we’ve thought about resume fonts in this article is a good model for how you should approach all of your introductory materials during the job application process.

Every aspect of your cover letter and CV or resume should be carefully curated to highlight relevant experience and traits. And because your potential employer doesn’t have anything to go on other than what you provide them with, it’s important to make every letter – and every typeface – count.

Ready To Take Your New Font And Write A Resume That Gets Results?

Now that you know what font you're going to use to convey your value, it's time to make those updates!

Choosing a font is pretty straightforward, but understanding how to write your resume, what content to include, what format you should use…that can get confusing in a hurry.

If you want to understand the simple formula for writing resumes that actually get results, check out our complete guide: How To Write A Job-Winning Resume (With Samples & Templates) .

That will give you straightforward answers on what templates to use, how to format your resume, what sections to include, and how to get your value recognized. After you read through that, you should be ready to make those updates!

Head over to our free resume builder to create your resume using one of our proven templates. When you're done with your resume, compare it to your target job description using ResyMatch.io, our free resume scanner tool!

best font for cover letter 2020

Austin Belcak

Austin is the founder of Cultivated Culture where he helps people land jobs without connections, without traditional experience, and without applying online. His strategies have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, & Fast Company and has helped people just like you land jobs at Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Twitter, & more.

2 thoughts on These Are The Best Fonts For Your Resume In 2023

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This is a superb analysis of fonts, giving pros, cons and alternatives. And the guide on how to download them is priceless. I’ve never seen a career consultant delve into as many aspects of job searches as you, Austin. You’re the best I’ve ever seen. BTW, I’ve heard that Garamond is valued because it looks so well on Power Point presentations. What’s your opinion on that?

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Hey Christie, I really appreciate the kind words! Thanks so much for taking a minute to read through the post, I’m so glad it was helpful.

I personally recommend a Sans Serif font for pretty much everything — resumes, presentations, one sheets, etc. They’re the easiest to read and the most widely accepted these days.

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30+ Best Fonts for Resume + Cover Letters

Writing the perfect resume or cover letter takes careful creative thinking. And choosing one of the best fonts for a resume or cover letter can help your words have an impact, look professional, and stand out!

Of course, the contents of these documents are the key thing. But you do need to carefully consider the design of your resume or cover letter to make it appear professional.

In addition to finding the right resume template to represent yourself, choosing the best font for your resume and cover letter is one of the most important tasks that requires attention. It might determine whether you’ll come across as a true professional or an amateur (especially for any creative position).

There are many different styles of fonts you can choose to compliment a resume template . To help you get a headstart, we handpicked a collection of the best fonts for resume and cover letters to help you find the right font for your design.

Best of luck with your job application!

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Explore Resume Templates

Amber Queen – Signature Font

Amber Queen Signature Font

This stylish signature font is the perfect typeface you can use to craft an elegant title for your resume or cover letter. It’s also a great choice of font for giving your name more personality.

Rustic Towns – Signature Font

Rustic Towns Signature Font

Rustic Town is a yet another elegant signature font you can use with your resume to make your title and headers look more creative. The font includes both uppercase and lowercase letters as well.

Zayley – Serif Regular Font

Zayley Serif Serif Font

Zayley is a modern serif font that features a high-end luxury design. It’s ideal for crafting professional resumes for corporate positions. While the font looks great in all-caps, it includes lowercase letters with multilingual support.

VISIA Duo – Geometric Typeface

VISIA Duo Geometric Typeface

If you’re looking for a unique font combo to use in your creative resume design, this font will come in handy. It includes natural and outline typeface designs you can use to craft titles and text in your resume and cover letters.

Carolin Duo – Font Family Pack

Carolin Duo Font Family Pack

Carolin Duo is another bundle of fonts that you can use to design modern resume and cover letters. The font comes in serif and sans serif typefaces as well as in multiple font weights.

Nordhead – Business & Corporate Font

Nordhead Business & Corporate Font

Nordhead is a professional font designed for business and corporate designs. This makes it a great choice for crafting resumes and cover letters for applying to corporate jobs.

Adallyn – Serif Font Family Pack

Adallyn - Serif Font Family Pack

Adallyn is an elegant serif font family that comes with 5 different styles of typefaces ranging from regular to bold font weights. It also features a unique style of character design that’ll help you stand out from the crowd.

Halva – Professional Rounded Font

Halva - Professional Rounded Font

This font comes with a minimal and modern design that makes it a great choice for using with resumes that use a casual design approach. The font features rounded letters with its own stylish look as well.

SPOTNIK – Ultra Modern Creative Font

SPOTNIK - Ultra Modern Creative Font

Spotnik is a modern space-themed font you can use to craft ultra-modern resumes for applying to startups and creative agencies. The font comes in two different weights allowing you to use it for both titles and paragraphs.

Mallicot – Elegant Script Font

Mallicot - Elegant Script Font

Mallicot is an elegant script font that features a stylish flowing letter design. It’s perfect for crafting resumes for professionals in specific industries such as fashion, design, and luxury brands.

Zevida – Sans Serif Font Family

Zevida Sans Serif Font Family

Zevida is a family of sans serif fonts that includes font weights ranging from thin to regular and bold. It incldues both uppercase and lowercase letters.

Summer – Handwritten Font

Summer Handwriting Font

Summer is a unique handwritten font you can use to craft the headers and titles in your resumes. It will especially fit in nicely with your resume designs for creative professionals.

Zimra – Serif Font Family

Zimra Serif Font Family

Zimra is a family of serif fonts that features both uppercase and lowercase letters in 5 different weights. You can use this font to design creative headers as well as with body text.

Focus Grotesk – Geometric Sans-Serif Typeface

Focus Grotesk - Geometric Sans-Serif Typeface

Focus Grotesk is a creative and minimalist sans serif font that comes with 10 typefaces including 5 different font weights and 5 italic versions of the weights. The handcrafted design of the font will make your resume and cover letters look more attractive as well.

Morton – Grotesque Font Family

Morton - Grotesque Font Family

Morton is another elegant grotesque font that features a simple and elegant design. It features a classic condensed design and comes in 9 different weights to fit both your resume title and body text.

Camilie – Elegant Font Family

Camilie - Elegant Font Family

Camilie is a modern font family that features a thin design. It comes with 5 different font weights ranging from ultralight to regular and bold. It also supports multilingual characters as well.

LORIN – Modern Geometric Typeface

LORIN - Modern Geometric Typeface

Lorin is a geometric sans serif font featuring 4 different weights including light, bold, and extra bold. The font features a modern elegant design that’s suitable for designing many different types of resume and cover letters.

Metrisch – Modern Resume Font

Metrisch - Modern Resume Font

Metrisch is a modern sans serif font family that comes in 6 different font weights. It includes typefaces suitable for crafting both the titles and the body text of your resume and cover letter designs.

HERZ – Simple Sans Serif Typeface

HERZ - Simple Sans Serif Typeface

Herz is a simple and elegant sans serif font you can use to design many types of resume and cover letters. It includes 3 different weights including light, regular, and bold.

Addington CF – Serif Font Family

Addington CF - Serif Font Family

Addington is a modern serif font that comes with 7 weights featuring Roman and italic sets. It’s ideal for the body text of your cover letter and resumes to add more professionalism to your designs.

Mriya Grotesk – Premium Sans-Serif Typeface

Mriya Grotesk - Premium Sans-Serif Typeface

Mriya Grotesk font comes in 4 different weights featuring 4 italic versions of the font. It also includes OTF, TTF and Web Fonts versions as well.

Original Sin – Signature Font

Original Sin - Signature Font

Original Sin is a stylish signature font you can use to design the titles and the headers of your resumes. It comes with an elegant design that’s most suitable for creative professionals.

Jonas Beckman – Two Signature Fonts

Jonas Beckman - Two Signature Fonts

This is a bundle of 2 different fonts featuring regular and slant typeface designs. Both fonts feature a creative handwritten design that will make your designs stand out from the crowd.

Aliquam – Modern Typeface

Aliquam - Modern Typeface

Aliquam is a modern font with a rounded edge design featuring 4 different font weights. You can use it to design creative resume and cover letters, especially for creative professions.

Sprout – Sans Serif Font

Sprout - Sans Serif Font

Sprout is a sans serif font featuring a narrow and feminine design. The tall and creative design of the font makes it most suitable for crafting the headers and titles of your resumes.

RNS Sanz – Clean Modern Font

RNS Sanz - Clean Font

This font features a clean and simple design that makes it the perfect choice for crafting the body text of your resume and cover letters. The font comes in 7 different weights.

Deleplace – Modern Font Family

Deleplace - Modern Font Family

Deleplace font comes featuring an elegant design featuring 3 different font weights. This font is most suitable for designing resumes and cover letters for creative and corporate positions.

George – Rounded Sans Serif Font

George Rounded Sans Serif Font

George is a beautiful sans serif font featuring a rounded design. It comes with both uppercase and lowercase letters as well as 8 different weights to choose from to design your resume and cover letter.

Metropolis – Modern Font Family

Metropolis - Modern Font Family

Metropolis comes with a touch of modern design that makes it stand out. This font is ideal for crafting the titles and headers in your resume to make it look more attractive.

Tessan Sans – Modern Typeface

Tessan Sans - Modern Typeface

Tessan is an elegant sans serif font featuring a design inspired by the Classic font from the 20th Century. The font comes in light, regular, and bold weights.

CA Texteron – Elegant Serif Fonts

CA Texteron - Elegant Serif Fonts

Texteron comes in 6 different font weights allowing you to use this font in both your titles and your body text. The font also features a creative vintage design as well.

NORMAL – Minimal Sans Serif Typeface

NORMAL - Minimal Sans Serif Typeface

As the name suggests, this font features a simple and clean design making it suitable for designing all types of resume and cover letters. The font comes in 5 different weights as well.

Thomas Mag – Serif Font Family

Thomas Mag Serif Font Family

Thomas Mag is a serif font featuring a creative design. It comes in 5 different weights as well as italic versions of those weights. The font also features bot uppercase and lowercase letters.

Smith Allison – Signature Font

Smith Allison Signature Font

Another creative signature font you can use to craft the titles of your resume and cover letters. This font features a beautiful handwritten design as well.

Orion pro – Typeface & Web Fonts

Orion pro - Typeface & Web Fonts

Orion pro is a modern font with a rounded soft edge design. The font is ideal for designing resumes and cover letters for creatives.

TYROS Pro – Geometric Sans-Serif Typeface

TYROS Pro - Geometric Sans-Serif Typeface

Tyros Pro is a bundle of sans serif fonts that include 16 different typefaces, featuring 6 font weights, 6 italic versions, and 3 stylish outline versions of the font.

Myron – Serif Fonts Family Pack

Myron Serif Fonts Family Pack

Myron is another elegant font that comes with 5 different font weights. You can combine the different weights of this font to use to craft both titles and body text of your resumes.

For more font inspiration check out our best serif fonts and the best cursive script fonts collections.

The opinions expressed are solely those of Find My Profession. Click to see our Advertising Disclosure.

Best Resume Fonts

9 Best Resume Fonts in 2023 [+ Size, Color, Fonts to Avoid]

Mike Podesto

Mike is an entrepreneur and founder of several career service companies. Together with Find My Profession, his work has been featured on sites like Forbes, Inc., Times, Fast Company, and more.

Some of the best resume tips include tips on the best resume font to use.

The font you use on your resume affects the look of your entire resume.

And since the average recruiter only spends 6 seconds reviewing a resume, it’s never been more important to choose your resume font strategically.

You’ll need to use a font that is ATS friendly and easy to read.

Not only is the font type important, but the size and color of the font are equally important.

In this article, we will share the best resume fonts, the worst resume fonts, the best font sizes, and the best font colors for 2022.

best font for cover letter 2020

Mike Podesto (Founder & CEO – Find My Profession):

Not every resume font is created equal. When it comes to your resume font… stick to the basics! This is NOT the place to show off your “ creativity”.

What Are the Best Fonts for Your Resume?

According to Quora, there are roughly 300,000 fonts in the world that fall into 60,000 font families.

Narrowing down the 9 best fonts for a resume was not an easy task.

Our team of resume experts collectively has more than 20 years of resume writing experience allowing us to present to you the tried and proven resume fonts for 2022.

Here are some of the best fonts for your resume:

Why aren’t Times New Roman and Arial on this list?

It’s a common misconception that Times New Roman and Arial are great resume fonts. While they are some of the most popular fonts in general, they are not the best for your resume.

Times New Roman is a compact font and can be difficult to read. Arial is overused and won’t capture anyone’s attention!

What about serif vs. sans serif?

There are four major types of fonts: serif, sans serif, script, and decorative.

For purposes of a resume, both serif (small lines off the sides of letters) and sans serif (no lines) can be used. These fonts are the most professional and easiest to read.

Sans serif fonts are considered modern and simple. Serif fonts are elegant and professional.

Examples of the Best Resume Fonts

We have taken all 9 of the best resume fonts mentioned above and provided samples of what these fonts look like on a resume.

Each sample follows a precise uniformity which allows you to see the font in its standard form, bold, and bold + italic. Use the resume font key directly below for reference.

Resume Font Key

Resume Font Key

3. Garamond

Resume Font - Garamond

4. Helvetica

Resume Font - Helvetica

8. Book Antiqua

Resume Font - Book Antiqua

9. Trebuchet MS

Resume Font - Trebuchet

What Are the Worst Fonts for a Resume?

Maybe you have a font in mind that you like that didn’t make our list of best resume fonts above.

That’s ok. While we believe our top nine fonts above are the best, there are other fonts that will still get the job done. But avoid the fonts below.

Here are some of the worst fonts for a resume:

Despite the opinions of many bloggers (who are not professional resume writers), common fonts like Times New Roman and Arial are not great when it comes to your resume.

As a general rule of thumb, you want to avoid script and decorative fonts that are italic, bold, cursive, or overly playful (see samples below).

Avoid Italic Font

Italic Font

Avoid Bold Font

Bold Font

Avoid Cursive Font

Cursive Font

Avoid Playful Font

Playful Font

What’s the Best Resume Font Size?

Adjusting your resume font size can be crucial to making a neat, compact, and fully optimized resume.

You might notice that some fonts take up more space than other fonts, even if they are the same font size. This is one of the reasons that resume font size is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

If you choose to go with a font like Helvetica, Georgia, Tahoma, Verdana, or Trebuchet MS, you may want to reduce your font size since these fonts are naturally larger.

If you choose to go with a font like Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, or Book Antiqua, you may consider using a larger font size since these fonts are naturally smaller.

In any case, do what you can to play around with font sizing on your resume so that everything fits concisely on either one or two pages.

If your resume does not fill up at least ½ of the second page, your goal should be to fit it all on one page.

Font size does not have to be consistent throughout the entire resume.

It is perfectly acceptable for your resume to use, for example, size 11 font for the main body and size 10 font for less important sections such as your address, email, phone number, etc.

If you are going to use various font sizes, make sure the most important resume sections (work experience, education, etc.) use the larger font size.

The headings on your resume are a great place to use a larger size font as well.

Should You Use Color On Your Resume?

The short answer is….yes!

While you don’t have to use color on your resume, it’s something that we definitely recommend to add interest and highlight sections.

Should I use color for my entry-level resume?

Should I use color for my executive-level resume?

Should I use color for my federal/government resume?

No. The one exception would be for federal or government jobs. For these types of positions, you can throw just about all the best resume font standards out the window.

Besides fed/gov jobs, regardless of the type of job you are going for, industry, or your seniority, color on a resume is generally preferred.

Of course, there is a difference between a CFO resume and a graphic designer resume. Match the boldness of the color you use with your position and industry.

Consider coordinating the colors of your resume with the company’s preferred color palette.

Resume font colors should remain consistent throughout your resume and we recommend never using more than two unique colors (i.e. red and blue).

Below are some good and bad colors to use on your resume:

Good and Bad Colors For Your Resume

Where to Add Color to Your Resume

If you are thinking about adding color to your resume, it’s important to have some consistency with the places you are adding color.

The purpose of adding color to your resume is to help key sections stand out.

Job titles, company names, headers, and subheaders are the most common places that people add color to their resume.

You might also consider adding color to the bullet points on your resume to match the overall theme (see sample below).

Sample Resume with Color

Take a look at Find My Profession’s resume samples for more ideas on adding color to your resume.

What About the Cover Letter Font?

Your cover letter design should match your resume design.

It’s best for your cover letter to use the same color schemes, font sizes, and font types as your resume.

This creates a uniformity that hiring managers appreciate and also makes it easier to know that your resume and cover letter belong together.

Use any of the recommended font sizes, colors, and types mentioned above and your cover letter will be a cut above the rest.

Key Takeaways

When it comes to resume font, size, and color, there is no one size fits all. You can use a variety of resume fonts and still have an amazing resume.

Here’s what you should remember:

If you don’t want to worry about any of this, you can use a professional resume writer. They know the ins and outs of resume formatting and can take care of it for you! Check out Find My Profession’s resume writing services  for more information.

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best font for cover letter 2020

Choosing The Best Font And Size For Cover Letters

Find a Job You Really Want In

Picking an Appropriate Font Size for a Great Cover Letter

Personalize your font selection, including white space, reminders for email cover letters, final thoughts.

Your job application’s cover letter is the first impression your employer has of you and your work ethic when applying for a job. That’s why attention to detail when you write a cover letter is incredibly important to emphasize that you are the ideal candidate. One of the first things to focus on is what kind of font or type style to use. It may seem simple enough, but choosing the right font can make or break your application . There’s a wide variety of fonts, but each of them gives off a specific impression. For your cover letter, you’ll want to use a font style that’s clear and easy to read. Choosing the right font can increase the readability of your cover letter and help your application appear more polished and detail-oriented. This ensures you’ll make the best impact possible. Key Takeaways: Picking the right font and being stylistically consistent throughout your resume makes it easier to read and helps get your point across, and is an indicator of professionalism. Good choices for standard, professional fonts to use on a resume include Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica, and more – always stick to fonts that look simple and clean. A page that’s too cluttered with text looks unprofessional and doesn’t give the hiring manager a good reading experience, so make sure to use white space appropriately. What Is A Font and Why Does It Matter in a Cover Letter?

A font is a graphical representation of text referring to a specific weight, width, and style. To pick your cover letter’s font, you should first think about what your intention is for your letter. For cover letters, the main intention is for your words and message to do all the talking. This means the font should not be artsy, fun, or obscure. It should allow your words to be immediately legible.

Additionally, consider being consistent in your font choice for both your cover letter and resume. The stylistic consistency may seem like a small detail, but it allows for recruits or hiring managers to easily flow from one document to the next, without any distractions in the way.

The size of your font is equally as important as choosing the correct font for your cover letter. If the text of your letter is too small or visibly challenging, your application might be passed up for another candidate.

There are three general options when picking a font size, 10, 11, or 12. Your cover letter should always fit on one-page, so consider this when formatting your first draft. A smaller font is appropriate if it helps keep all of your text on one page. However, if your cover letter is on the shorter side , choosing font size 12 is equally as appropriate.

It’s also important to note that different fonts come in a variety of sizes.

Once your cover letter is written, spend some time on formatting to make sure it looks good and fits on one page. If you have already selected the smallest size and your copy bleeds into a second page, try adjusting the margins or see where you can cut to condense the letter.

While there is no science behind picking the perfect font, there are specific fonts that are highly regarded for their perception of being easily readable, professional, and clean. Below, we outline some of the best cover letter fonts to choose from.

Arial features crisp lines and no-frills. Being one of the most popular cover letter fonts in the world, it’s also beneficial as the standard font for Microsoft Word and Google Docs. There’s a good chance your recruiter or hiring manager has this font existing in their word processor of choice.

Avenir is a good way to be bold but without taking the risk. This font features playful curves that help liven up any piece of copy to stand-out in the best way possible. It’s a good choice if you are looking to get into the design space or any creative type of job.

Calibri was initially designed by Microsoft as a candidate to replace Times New Roman in Word. It’s a standard font usually found on resumes or cover letters. With its clean and simple typeface, it’s easily one of the most readable fonts out there. It’s both familiar and friendly, a great choice for any cover letter.

Cambria has a serif face and traditional design that makes it easy to read both in print or on the computer screen, even in low resolutions. The even spacing and proportions make this an ideal choice for cover letters.

Garamond is a more delicate font, but with a classic serif form. Based on sixteenth-century designs, the Garamond style typefaces are perfect for both print and digital cover letters readability.

Georgia is a popular font developed by Microsoft. The serif typeface is both elegant and legible, with a mixture of both thick and thin strokes. This font is also used by Georgiacompanies in their branding, such as Amazon and the New York Times.

Helvetica is one of the most widely used sans-serif fonts in the world. Its neo-grotesque design was first brought to popularity by Swiss designers. Its neutral and clean look has made it a top choice for many businesses.

Times New Roman is the most traditional font of all. It is popular for most job seekers with its simple and elegant design. Keep in mind that since this is one of the most common resume and cover letter fonts, it’s not something to use if you’re looking to be unique. But that’s not to say it’s not a great choice. This is a safe and easy font choice for your cover letter.

Trebuchet MS is a great font choice if you are looking to fill a little extra space on your cover letter. Being a bit broader with thicker lines, this font will fill the page and allow for easy readability. It’s also a common font found in most word processors and Google Docs.

Verdana was initially designed to be readable in small sizes and on low-resolution screens, making it perfect if you need to use a smaller font size. It has a large x-height with wide proportions and letter-spacing to allow for easy legibility.

Going with one of the listed fonts for your cover letter and resume puts you in a good place for the formatting of your cover letter. As with many things, font choice is subjective, and you should make the choice you feel most comfortable with.

The last thing to be mindful of is how many fonts you choose to use for your cover letter.

Since there are a few different pieces to a cover letter, you may be tempted to use different fonts for headers , introductions , or conclusions . However, it’s good practice to only use one font for your cover letter. Maintaining this consistency ensures a smooth reading process for your recruiter or hiring manager.

When formatting your cover letter, it’s always important to remember that there is a significant amount of space required at the top of your letter. Additionally, you should leave white space between each paragraph and each new section of the cover letter .

Usually, word processors have templates that you can use to make sure you properly space your cover letter. Again, don’t forget that your entire cover letter should fit on a single page, so it’s important to take some time to play with the formatting once you are done writing your letter. Perfecting your formatting ensures you will make a stellar first impression.

The best practices outlined in this article are mostly for cover letters that are in hard-copy or emailed as a Word document or PDF attachment. If your job application instructs you to include your cover letter in the body of the email, you might be tempted to copy, paste, and send.

However, be mindful of how the formatting shifts when you copy and paste things into an email, making it tricky for the hiring manager or recruiter to read. Be sure you either fix the formatting in the body of the email or copy and paste it as plain text directly into the email.

The font you choose is your resume’s first impression, so choosing the right one can you get your job applications started on the right foot. The way your resume is organized and how it looks at a glance can say a lot about you even before the hiring manager even starts to read it.

Be sure to use a simple, professional font and break your resume down into sections balanced out by plenty of white space.

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Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research. Caitlin holds a degree in English from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.

Matt Warzel a President of a resume writing firm (MJW Careers, LLC) with 15+ years of recruitment, outplacement, career coaching and resume writing experience. Matt is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing Focus) from John Carroll University.

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Topics: Cover Letter , Cover Letter Format

The best fonts for your resume ranked

woman in office on phone looking at paper

Would you ever sign a lease that was handwritten in crayon? How about a contract that was put together ransom-note style? Unless you enjoy playing with fire, we’re going to guess your answers are “no” and “no.” In fact, we’ll bet you wouldn’t even bother to read them. That's why it's important to determine the best font for resume readability. This goes for resume font size too.

Think about it. When it comes to official paperwork, appearance—specifically, the font—can go a long way in projecting significance. Had crayons been invented in 1776, do you think Thomas Jefferson would’ve considered using them to write the Declaration of Independence? Probably not. Among the many likely reasons he used a quill and ink, Jefferson (probably) knew that when people evaluate a document’s authority, they look at the design as well as the content itself.

Your resume , which communicates your skills, assets, and hire-ability, also needs to project professionalism. Recruiters take six seconds to decide whether or not to toss your resume, so the right resume font and resume font size make a big difference. If a recruiter can’t read your words, or is put off by a funky font, you won’t even get a second look.

So what’s a surefire way you can hold a recruiter’s attention for those six precious and precarious seconds?

“The most important thing is that your font is scannable and easy to read,” says Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume.

As such, your best bet is sticking with one of two types of resume fonts that are extremely legible: serif or sans serif. A serif font has small lines that stick out slightly at the edges of letters; a sans serif font does not.

If you want to be extra cautious, Augustine recommends choosing sans serif. “Because so many recruiters are reading resumes on-the-go,” she says, “you’d also be smart to chose a font that’s easy to read on a mobile device, which means a sans serif font like Arial, Tahoma, or Calibri.”

However, with so much being made of “ personal brand ,” it’s natural to want to stand out or make a statement. Augustine says you can still have some style, as long as you stay with one of these 10 resume-friendly fonts, ranked in order of preference.

Soft, gentle and modern, this is the default font of many email programs, so it’s familiar to the eye—and it’s a safe sans serif font.

2. Times New Roman

“For legal, operations and corporate jobs, this formal serif font is still readable electronically and goes with the brick-and-mortar feel of those industries,” says Augustine.

This classic sans serif font “is a great choice for creative people or those in a marketing field,” according to Augustine.

Like Arial, this is another clean and modern font that’s even easier to read because of the slightly wider spacing.

This is another default-type font that recruiters are familiar with, so you can’t go too wrong with it. It’s not as formal as Times New Roman, but it's just as dependable.

6. Garamond

More graceful than some of its sans serif friends, Garamond might suit artistic types more than bankers or executives.

7. Book Antiqua

As its name suggests, Book Antiqua would work well for professions in the arts or humanities.

8. Trebuchet MS

Friendly and round, this is probably a good choice for creative or marketing fields.

9. Arial Narrow

If you’re tight on space, this sans serif is modern and still legible even in its narrow form.

This has style and panache, yet it is still readable. It’s probably the most artistic font that’s still professional enough to use on your resume.

The best fonts for your resume, ranked

Get a style check

Picking a smart resume font and resume font size are just the first steps. There's plenty else to consider when writing your resume—after all, it's the first point of contact between you and a potential employer, and you know what they say about first impressions. Want to make sure your resume looks as good as possible? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts at Monster's Resume Writing Service . You'll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review of your resume's appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiter's first impression. And yes, that includes your font choice.

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Best Font for Cover Letter

The best font for cover letter purposes is one that is clear and easy to read. Hiring managers will quickly pass over a cover letter that isn't instantly legible. Keep your cover letter font professional, simple and consistent with your resume font.

best font for cover letter 2020

An important consideration is the fact that your cover letter may be viewed on a desktop, laptop or mobile device so stick to a universal font that renders well on all screens.

5 Best Font for Cover Letter Styles

Hiring managers and recruiters largely agree on these being the 5 best font for cover letter styles.

Helvetica is a modern favorite that works well for all cover letters. It only comes preloaded on Apple computers so Arial is an excellent alternative if you don't have a Mac.

Arial is the standard font for Google Docs and Microsoft Word, meaning that it will display accurately on all computers. It renders well on all screen sizes and its crisp lines make it clear and simple to read.

It is sometimes considered too familiar and bland for jobs in creative and trendy companies and a more contemporary font may be better suited for these type of cover letters

2. Times New Roman

Times New Roman is a popular and traditional font that presents as classic and professional. It is a good cover letter font to use when you want to convey a serious and formal approach. An appropriate choice for jobs in traditional and conservative industries.

3. Trebuchet MS

A less used, modern and clean cover letter font with an energetic feel. Very easy to read and renders well on all screen sizes, particularly smaller devices.

Its thicker lines and wider body makes it useful when you are trying to fill up space such as for entry level cover letters. A good choice for jobs in marketing, media, publishing and start-ups.

This font has taken the place of Times New Roman as the MS Office default font so it is familiar and easy to access on all devices. Its tighter layout is useful when you have to fit a large amount of text on one page for your cover letter.

A modern and clean font that has been described as warm and gentle by its designer, this cover letter font works well for jobs in nursing, social work, teaching and care-related professions

A classic font with a contemporary feel that was designed specifically for easy reading on computer and mobile screens.

An ideal font for a professional cover letter look with elements of elegance and trendiness.

All of these 5 cover letter fonts are legible, clean-looking,  professional and render accurately on most devices. They are unlikely to cause problems with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and will ensure your cover letter can be easily read.  They are suitable for both on-screen and print versions of your cover letter.

What is the best font for cover letter style?

best font for cover letter 2020

Top tips for best font for cover letter

What is the best cover letter font size?

Your cover letter font should be sufficient size to be easy to read but not so big that your cover letter does not fit on one page.  You may need to try a couple of different sizes to make sure that your cover letter is legible and fits on a single page.

For most font styles 12-point is the standard size and is easy to scan and read in different formats. Some fonts may look better at 10.5- or 11-point. To find the best size for your cover letter, try each of the standard sizes to find the most legible version.

If your cover letter includes a heading with your name and contact details you may choose to make this slightly bigger than the body text. If this creates problems with keeping your cover letter to a single page, rather bold those details. 

How to format your font and cover letter

Include sufficient white space for a clean, easy-to-scan and legible look. There needs to be space at the top of the letter and between each paragraph of your cover letter. Using bullet points is a useful way to increase legibility and to make an impact with your cover letter.

Use the right spacing for your cover letter for readability. Single, double and 1.5 spacing are the most common selections. 

The cover letter must be clearly formatted and easy to read. Long sentences and insufficient line spacing are to be avoided because they clutter the letter and make it  hard to scan and read quickly. 

How to create a cover letter that works

How to save and send your cover letter

Save your cover letter correctly. The best way to do this is to save it as a PDF file to preserve its original appearance and style.

Send it as a PDF attachment to an email message. Copying-and-pasting a cover letter into the body of your email message may corrupt the formatting and make it hard to read for the hiring manager who may well have a different computer system. When you email your cover letter in word processing format, such as a Microsoft Word file, the formatting may not transfer properly.

A good way to check if your cover letter renders correctly is to send the email with  the attachment to yourself first so you can review it before sending it to the hiring manager.

Font styles to avoid in your cover letter

Just as there are best font for cover letter styles there are some fonts you should never use for your cover letter. 

What is the best font for resumes?

You can find a great article on the best resume fonts for 2023   plus loads of tips on writing a job-winning resume.

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Which font should you use on a resume?

If you are struggling with this question, you have landed on the right platform.

Here we will guide you in choosing the best fonts for your resume to ensure that you craft your language with a durable visual form.

A resume without a legible font is almost not worthy to the recruiter. So should be of primary concern to improve the readability of the text.

A resume follows the same line as writing a research paper for your school. You put together a cohesive story with no spelling or grammatical errors and a readable resume font size .

Always remember that a hiring manager must go through many resumes in a day.

Hence, it becomes very crucial to present your resume with a professional yet appealing approach. You can do it by selecting the best resume fonts 2022 based on the answers to the following questions:

What's the Best Resume Font & Size?

Should You Use Pairing Fonts in Resume?

It's an open secret that hiring managers take 7.4 seconds to review a resume. And within this limited time, you have to pursue the hiring manager to read your resume.

The font you pick for the resume dramatically impacts how the recruiters will perceive your resume.

Font Size of Resume

Ideally, the font size of a resume must be within 10 - 12 points.

If you are writing the resume header, then the font size can be 14-16 points , but not more than that.

If you can fit your resume content on one page, then you can use sans-serif font at 10 points, but not less than that.

Characteristics of Best Font on Resume

Different fonts can effectively change the perception of a recruiter about a candidate. Here are some of the characteristics of an ideal font for a resume and cover letter.

For example, if you have a work experience section, you can use the bolding to highlight statistics specifically.

Brainstormed sales strategy while improving conversion rate by 20%

Italics are suitable for supporting text, such as dates and names of honors.

For example:

summa cum laude & magna cum laude

However, you can underline hyperlinks such as your LinkedIn profile, GitHub link, or email Id.

For consistency and professionalism, it's best to use a primary color as the font color, such as black.

However, if you have a duel-tone design in your resume, you can use other complimentary colors in the resume font.

Make sure to keep the line spacing between 1.0 - 1.5 points. No less than that.

Top 14 Best Resume Fonts

Here are the top 10 best resume fonts in 2022

1. Helvetica

This is a Swiss sans-serif font licensed by Linotype. A lot of professionals rank Helvetica as the most beautiful sans-serif font. Thus, making it the best sans-serif font 2022 as it is sure to divert the recruiter's attention to your resume.

Why use it?

Roboto is a less-similar resume font alternative to Helvetica created by Google and available for use openly!

This is a classic serif font choice. It does not compromise on modern digital formatting.

Georgia's popularity may make it difficult for your resume to stand out.

It has been the default Microsoft Word font since 2007. Calibri even won the Type Directors Club's TDC2 2005 Type System award.

Calibri's widespread use makes it a ' lazy ' option. But it maximizes relatability, skipping dated serif fonts. It is not as decorated as others.

Google created Carlito as a metrically compatible font match to Calibri. It is open source!

Lato is a sans-serif corporate font! This is a dual-natured font with some unique traits at larger sizes.

Lato is not a standard Microsoft Word font. It might not load in some systems.

Open Sans is a great alternative for Lato. It is one of the most popular fonts on the web. It is openly available and can be used commercially!

5. Gill Sans

A sans-serif typeface which is London's corporate font!

Cambria is one of the most popular resume fonts used in the industry. It's a serif counterpart to the Calibri font.

Why it's used?

Noto is created to be used in every available language out there. And since it's clean and easily available, it's a great choice for adding to a resume, especially if you want to add a non-Latin alphabet.

8. Garamond

A Garamond font is a mix between traditional serif font and modern designs. On top of that, this font looks elegant and professional and is a great choice to add to a formal resume.

The Verdana font is elegant yet soft font. Microsoft created it to be a counterpart of the Georgia font.

Why is it better?

10. Trebuchet MS

The trebuchet MS font is created for Microsoft. It's not an all-purpose font. You can get the most out of this font if you add it to the resume header since these are sharp fonts.

If you are looking for alternatives, you can use Fira Sans and Allerta instead of Trebuchet MS.

11. Book Antiqua

This is one of the traditional fonts you can find out there, which is still in use widely in professional documentation.

Tahoma font was released from Windows 95, and since then, it has become a favorite for professionals in the last 25 years.

Why it is used?

Didot is a serif font with a classy and professional look. Because of its upscale look, it's best to use in fashion and photography-related resumes.

It's good for the resume body, but the delicate Didot font shines at the large size. So it's best to use the Didot font in the resume headings.

13. Constantia

Constantia resume font is designed to look good on a computer monitor while remaining applicable on paper.

So if you are applying online and sending your resume via email, you can use the Constantia font to impress the recruiters.

Avenir is a very clean and crisp font that gives a resume a modern look. It has multiple weights that you can use to differentiate between headings and body or highlight some parts of your experience.

Also Read: How to choose a Cover Letter font in 2022?

Serif or Sans-Serif for resume?

Many people confuse between a Serif font and a Sans-Serif font. To keep it simple, Serif and Sans-Serif are twins with the former one with little spikes coming out of his head.

Here we are going to give you a group of best fonts for resume which will help you in selecting the best font for resume to make your resume stand out.

What is a serif font?

Serifs are the little lines at the end of each stroke in a letter. They originated in Roman antiquity and are comparably out-dated from similar sans-serif counterparts.

What is a sans-serif font?

Sans-serif fonts do not have the lines at the end of each stroke. They appear fresh, modern, and good for resumes.

What are the best resume fonts 2022?

Which are the best resume fonts 2022 in serif? Which is the best font for resume in sans serif?

Serif fonts are easier to read. The little brush strokes on each letter help our brain in faster reading.

But, sans-serifs are used as best resume fonts for their contemporary look. They integrate seamlessly with modern resume designs.

Also Read: What are the most common resume mistakes in 2022?

Fonts to Avoid in Your Resume

Some resume fonts must be avoided at all costs. They leave a wrong impression on the employer. You should not risk your job for the sake of a wrong font choice!

Here we discuss top 5 worst fonts for resume 2022:

1. Comic Sans

This font is too comical to be put in a resume. It destroys the seriousness of the resume.

This is the most overused font. Choosing it is a lazy choice. This might mean that you did not put much thought or effort into your resume.

3. Times New Roman

This is the most surprising font on the list. It is simple because it is used so widely! It will not help your resume stand out. It will make it boring and safe .

This is a big and bold font. The font is simply too much for a professional document. It is not easy on the eyes!

This font simply replicates the look of a typewriter . Also, it has a monospaced typeface which looks absurd for the whole page of text.

Now the problem here is which font with the best resume font size 2022 to choose out of a serif or sans serif for resume. To make your resume appear visually stimulating , you can pair two fonts on a resume.

The best font pairs agree with each other. They work together in harmony and do not fight the recruiter for attention.

Pair fonts on your resume using this checklist:

Use the best serif font 2022 along with the best sans serif font 2022 Example: Georgia and Calibri, Helvetica and Calibri.

Frequently Asked Questions

How small should font size be on resume.

Hiring managers and recruiters typically spend only a few seconds glance at each resume before shortlisting or rejecting it. So choose a font size between 10 and 12 to ensure that he/she does not have to squint to read the information on a resume.

How to Choose a Resume Font?

Choose one of the fonts mentioned above and print out a copy of your resume to ensure that the font style and size you have chosen is apt and making the document look tidy. If it doesn't suit try to change the font style.

Key Takeaways

Selecting a suitable font for your resume is not an easy task. Your selected resume font must be easy to read and look elegant to grab the recruiter's attention.

You can follow these guidelines while selecting your resume fonts and outlining your resume in 2022:

These points will help you use the best resume fonts 2022 appropriately to grab the recruiter's attention.

You can use Hiration's 360-Degree Career Platform with 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related requirements.

You can also write to us at [email protected] and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.

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Home Resume Help Best Font For Resume

Best Font For Your Resume in 2020 [According to HR Pros]

Lauren McAdams

When the hiring manager first sees your resume, they notice the layout and presentation before they read your skills and experience. No matter how qualified you are, your resume needs to make a good first impression.

A critical part of this is choosing the right resume font .

Some candidates assume font doesn’t matter, and miss an opportunity to stand out. Others get overwhelmed by choice, and risk using a font that sends the wrong signals in their industry.

Keep reading to learn what font a resume should be in, according to HR pros who have read thousands of applications.

Guide to Resume Font Size

Conclusion: what font should a resume be, 8 best resume fonts.

The best font for a resume depends on your target position.

For example, acceptable resume fonts at established corporate firms are very different to those preferred by startup technology companies. To strike the right tone with your font, you should think about how your target employer values professionalism versus creativity.

And — your experience level affects the font you choose for your resume.

Wider fonts suit entry-level candidates who need to fill up the page, whereas experienced candidates may want to select a font that’s readable in the smallest sizes, so they can add more information.

The following list of recommended resume fonts considers all these factors, but also reflects modern design preferences and hiring trends.

Calibri is the default font used by Microsoft Word, and is therefore a reliable choice for any resume, because the hiring manager should have no problem opening it correctly. If you have doubts about which font to use, Calibri is one of the safest top resume fonts.

However, for candidates who want to make a bold impression with their font, Calibri is likely a little too safe.

2. Times New Roman

Although this serif font has fallen out of fashion among younger applicants, Times New Roman is still a professional standard in corporate environments. Be cautious of advice that says to avoid this font in your application — many offices prioritize traditional clarity in their documents.

Times New Roman won’t make your resume stand out, but in many positions, showing you understand convention and protocol is a highly sought after quality.

Professional yet contemporary, there’s a reason we chose Roboto as the font for several of our free to download resume templates . Roboto is different enough to attract attention to your resume, but sufficiently conservative to fit best practices. It’s therefore suitable for job applications in any industry.

Plus, Roboto works well with Google Docs and the Android operating system, making it an ideal modern font for tech-savvy job seekers in 2020.

4. Helvetica

Helvetica is a clean sans-serif font used by brands and on signs around the world, including the New York Subway. Because it’s a striking and easy-to-read font, formatting your resume in Helvetica helps highlight your strengths and confidence.

A favorite among designers, Helvetica is a common font on Macs but not PCs. If you’re applying to work in an industry that values aesthetics, Helvetica is a solid choice.

Georgia was designed to be readable when formatted in a small size. It’s therefore good at helping readers process large amounts of information. If you have extensive experience, using Georgia will help the hiring manager understand why you’re the best candidate.

It’s clearly a formal choice — for example it’s used by the New York Times — but if you want to squeeze more information on the page, it’s a good alternative to Times New Roman.

6. Trebuchet MS

This sans-serif font was designed to appear well on-screen, so it’s the perfect go-to font for the digital age. You may not have noticed, but you’ve already seen it in use on countless webpages. Therefore, as well as being informal and clear, it’s subtly friendly and familiar to many hiring managers.

Because of its relationship with the Internet, Trebuchet MS is a good resume font choice when applying for web-focused roles, such as social media. It also works well for entry-level candidates who lack experience, because its thickness takes up more space. This allows you to create a full resume with less information.

7. Garamond

As you’ve seen, serif fonts are usually used on resumes for business roles that value uniformity. Garamond, however, is a serif font that suits creative industries and academia.

Don’t let the fact that it’s several hundred years old put you off — Garamond is still popular for a reason. Elegant and readable, this font resembles perfect handwriting, emphasizing personality, as well as intelligence and ability.

Our final font is modern and familiar without being overused. Verdana is a good alternative to Arial, which is one of the most common fonts used for resumes worldwide. It gives your resume the same clean presentation, but with a little extra impact, because the hiring manager won’t be as used to seeing it.

Interviewer notices a candidate used the best font for their resume

Once you’ve chosen an appropriate font for your resume, you need to think about your resume format and decide which font size is best.

Because fonts render differently, it’s impossible to give a definitive answer to which resume font size you should use. For example, Garamond appears much smaller than Arial — even if the same font size is selected.

As a rule, the best font size for a resume ranges between 10 and 12 .

Never format your entire resume in a font size under 10 — it’s too difficult to read. Likewise, any font over 12 makes your resume look childish and immature.

Of course, you can use larger font sizes for your resume heading , but stick to the standard size for your experience bullets.

If you have too much information and need your resume to fit on one page, it’s better to edit the content than reduce the font size until everything fits. Learning to boost your experience with resume action verbs will tighten your writing, and won’t sacrifice the aesthetic of the entire document.

The best font for your resume resume is whichever typeface successfully highlights your skills and experience, and matches the role you’re applying for. The key is to focus on readability, and strike the right balance between professionalism and creativity.

If you can choose the appropriate kind of font — in the proper font size — you’ve made an excellent first impression, which will shape how the hiring manager views your entire resume.

Whether you choose from our list of good resume fonts, or find a different one that inspires you, good luck on the job hunt!

Need more help writing your resume? Check out some of our other resources below:

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Cover Letters

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20 Free Professional Resume Cover Letter Format Templates for Jobs 2022

Sarah Joy

Are you getting ready to apply to jobs and want to make a cover letter? Using a professional cover letter template will save you time and ensure that you've got a professional design.

Cover Letter Template

Using a ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">premium cover letter template can not only save you time, but you'll have a ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">high-quality template for your letter. All you need to do is add the information you'd like to and customize the template and you're done.

In this article, we'll explore some of the best premium and free cover letter templates available online.

Find the Best Premium Resume Cover Letter Templates on Envato Elements (With Unlimited Use) 

Envato Elements is an all-you-can-download resources for professionals and creatives, including ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent"> good cover letter templates . With Elements, you pay a low monthly fee to get access to:

Premium templates from Envato Elements are the place to find your next professional resume and cover letter template. Free resume cover letter templates are often not as complete as professional premium templates (like those found on Envato Elements).

Envato Elements - Unlimited creative template downloads for one low price

The key advantage of Elements is that you unlock  everything  with a single subscription. Each extra  ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">cover letter template costs you nothing extra (not to mention the thousands of stock photos, graphics, icons, and other resources). 

Envato Elements

Free templates aren't as nice-looking and typically aren't high quality either. With Elements, you'll have a nice-looking template and a high-quality CV letter template.

5 Top Premium Resume Cover Letter Templates From Envato Elements for 2022

Here's a curated list of some of the best resume and cover letter templates from Envato Elements:

1. ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">Minimal Resume & Cover Letter

Minimal Resume Cover Letter

This resume and cover letter template can be used in Adobe InDesign. This template comes with a cover letter template and a resume template. Fully edit the template to suit your needs. This template also has a place for you to put your picture.

2. ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">Word Resume & Cover Letter

Word Resume Cover Letter

Word Resume and Cover letter is a professional cover letter and resume template that's multi-purpose. Here are some key features of the resume:

This resume template has a professional design that makes it a perfect companion to your letter.

3. ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">Gradient Resume and Cover Letter

Gradient Resume and Cover Letter

Gradient is a cover letter format template that's got a simple and modern layout. This template comes with four color schemes. 

Along with this template, you get free fonts and free icons to help you customize your resume. The cover letter matches the resume template so that your resume and the letter are a set. You won't find this variety in any free creative cover letter templates online.

4. ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">Resume and Cover Letter

Resume and Cover Letter

The Resume and Cover letter template has a nice pop of color to make your resume and letter stand out. Here are some highlights of this template set:

This template set is a great pick if you want a classic style resume with a pop of color.

5. ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">Resume and Cover Letter Template

Resume and Cover Letter Template

This resume and cover letter template have a nice contemporary and professional design. Customize everything in this template from the font to the colors. Easily edit this template in Adobe InDesign. The template comes in A4 and US letter size. 

Don't be fooled by free creative cover letter templates. This professional cover letter template set has the features you're looking for.

5 More Great Premium Cover Letter Templates From GraphicRiver

If you're not ready to commit to a subscription like Envato Elements, you can still get a top-quality premium resume cover letter template. Our pay-as-you-go GraphicRiver marketplace lets you download premium templates without committing to a monthly subscription.

GraphicRiver Premium Cover Letter Templates

Here's a hand-picked list of resume and cover letter templates from GraphicRiver:

1. ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">Resume + Cover Letter

Resume Cover Letter

This resume and cover letter set contain a professional cover letter template. The template comes in two sizes A4 and US letter sizes. You've got two different color schemes to choose from for this resume and cover letter set. This set also comes with free icons.

2. ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">Clean Resume + Cover Letter

Clean Resume Cover Letter

This is template set contains a cover sheet for resume and another for a resume. Here are some highlights of this template:

This template set has a simple and professional design.

3. ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">Creative Resume and Cover Letter

Creative Resume and Cover Letter

This CV letter template set contains a creatively designed letter and resume. This set has a unique design that'll catch the attention of the hiring manager. Everything in this set is completely editable. Edit the set in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

4. ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">2-PiecePro Resume + Cover Letter

2- Piece Pro Resume Cover Letter

This job cover letter template comes with a matching resume template. Here are some key features of this template set:

This cover letter and resume will set you apart from the other resumes received by the hiring manager.

5. ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">Multipurpose + Cover Letters

Multipurpose Cover Letters

This multipurpose resume includes a professional cover letter. This template comes with logo designs and business card templates. This set is great if you're starting to look for a job. You've got three color schemes to choose from. There are three logos to choose from, pick the one that suits you best.

20 Best Free Cover Letter Templates to Download for 2022

Before looking for a free resume cover letter template on the web, check Envato's free offerings first. Try out various premium template files (not always cover letters) at no cost to you.

Here's the deal: 

Every month Envato Elements offers 12 different hand-selected files, (fonts, presentations, videos, and more). Create a free account to download ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">this month's free premium files now.

Or try Envato Market for free. They offer seven handpicked monthly freebies. Log in with your Envato Market account to get ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">this month's handpicked premium freebies . 

If you can find what you're looking for above and there's no budget, you've got no choice but to use free resume and cover letter templates. We've created this curated list for those times. Here's a list of some of the best cover letter template free to download:

1. Traditional Elegance Cover Letter Template (Free Download)

Traditional Elegance Cover Letter

This cover letter template for job application download has a very traditional style. This free cover letter template gives you a good head start if you've never written a letter for a job application before. If you need a letter that doesn't have a distracting design, then this is the template for you.

2. Button-Down Cover Letter

Button-Down Cover Letter is a job cover letter template with no design to distract from the information in your letter. All the text in this letter is aligned to the left to give it a button-down effect. This cover letter template free to download has an organized feel.

3. Goldfish Bowl Cover Letter

The Goldfish Bowl Cover Letter template has a simple and classic design. Here are some highlights of this template:

This free cover letter template is perfect for anyone wanting a really cover sheet for a resume.

4. Plain Divider Cover Letter

Plain Diveder Cover Letter

The plain divider is a free cover letter template download. This free cover letter template is well-organized and separates your personal information with a divider line vertically on the letter. The style of this template is like the style of a newsletter. 

5. Keep It Simple Cover Letter

This resume cover letter template has a simple and classic style. The style of this template is meant to highlight your skills, interests and past experience. Your future employer can pick out the information they need.

6. Free Cover Letter Template

This CV letter template doesn't have a distracting design. Here are some key features of this template:

This cover letter template free to download will emphasize your experience and skills.

7. Resume Cover Letter (Violet)

This resume cover letter template has a nice pop of color in the header. This pop of color will make your name stand out on the letter. This basic template works for anyone who hasn't written a job application letter before or doesn't have much work experience.

8. Simple Cover Letter

CV Letter Template

This professional cover letter has a colored heading. Having a heading with color helps make your letter more interesting. This is great basic template for anyone who isn't looking for a complicated design.

9. Pink Floral Cover Letter

The Pink Floral Cover Letter has a pretty floral design. Here are some highlights of this template:

10. Headshot Cover Letter

The Headshot job cover letter template has a place where you can add your picture. This works for any job application that requires that you include your picture with your resume. The letter has a bright border. This is very nice if you're looking for free resume and cover letter templates.

11. Organic Shapes Cover Letter Template (Free Download)

Organic shapes is a professional cover letter template. This template has pastel and navy colors in a border on the left side of the letter. There's also a place for you to put your headshot if needed

12. Green Cube Cover Letter

Green Cube Cover letter

Green cube is a job cover letter template that's got a space for a headshot If needed. There's a green border on this template. The border highlights your info with the dark green header. Overall, a good cover letter template free to download.

13. Sticky Note Cover Letter

This CV cover letter template has bright colors in the header and on one side of the letter. You can customize this template. Easily customize the font or colors to suit your needs.

14. Blue Spheres Cover Letter Template (Free Download)

The Blue Spheres cover letter template has a fresh and professional design. Here are some highlights of this template:

This CV letter template works for anyone looking for a creative job.

15. Contemporary Photo Cover Letter

This colorful resume cover letter template has a modern design. There's space for you to add your headshot if needed. This colorful letter will be memorable to the hiring manager. This template highlights your information.

16. Blue Sky Cover Letter

Blue Sky Cover Letter

Blue sky is a professional cover letter with a sky with wispy clouds as the header. Customize the fonts and colors on this template. There's a place for you to add your headshot to the cover sheet for a resume if you need to.

17. Bold Monogram Cover Letter

Bold monogram is a job cover letter template that'll make a statement with its bold design. This template is great if you want a bold design but a conventional letter. Customize the template from the fonts to the colors to make it suitable for your needs.

18. The Trendy Cover Letter Template (Free Download)

The trendy CV letter template comes with six different colors in the heading. This cover sheet for a resume allows you to add a touch of color to your letter without it being distracting.

19. The Fancy Cover Letter Template

There are six versions of this free cover letter template with different color headings. The font for your name is in a fancier font.

20. The Skills Cover Letter Template

This cover sheet for a resume showcases your skills. There are six different versions of this template each with different colors. This example closes our selection of free resume and cover letter templates.

How to Customize Your Cover Letter Template

One of the first things that you'll want to do after you've selected a cover letter template is to customize it. Here's the premium template that we'll be using in this tutorial to show you how to customize a cover letter. Download the template to follow along or use these steps with your favorite cover letter template.

Cover Letter Template

Learn how to customize your cover letter template:

1. How to Insert a Picture

How to Insert a Picture

This resume and cover letter template have a place where you can add a headshot. To add an image, go to the Insert tab above the toolbar. Next click on the Picture button. This will cause a menu to drop-down next click on the location of where you saved you image. 

After you've found the location of the image double click on the image that you want to use. Now the image will appear on you template. Resize it as needed.

2. How to Delete an Object

How to Delete an Object

You may want to remove an object on your cover letter template. Select the object that you want to get rid of. You'll know the object is selected when handles appear around the object. 

After the object is selected press Delete on your keyboard. The unwanted object is gone.

3. How to Change an Object’s Color

How to Change an Objects Color

Click on the object that you want to change the color of. You'll know that the object is selected when handles appear. 

Next right click on the object. Click Format Shape in the menu that pops up. A sidebar will pop up. Click on the Fill tab of the sidebar. Next click on the Color button and choose which color you want to use.

4. How to Change a Text Color

How to Change a Text Color

Highlight and select the text that you want to change the color of. On the Home tab go to the Font Color button. This will cause a color palette to drop down. Select the color that you want to change the font to from the color palette.

5. How to Replace Text

How to Replace Text

The resume and cover letter template comes with text that you don’t want on your template. To add you own information to your resume and cover letter highlight and select the text that you want to replace. After you've highlighted the text press Delete on your keyboard.

5 Tips to Make Great Resume Cover Letters for When Applying for Jobs in 2022

You've got a CV letter template downloaded and now you're ready to write the cover sheet for your resume. These tips will help:

1. Write a New Cover Letter For Each Job

Write a personalized letter for each job that you apply to. This allows you to add personal details such as the hiring manager’s name or specific skills needed for the job. Creating a personalized letter shows the employer that you're interested in the job and are willing to put in time and effort.

2. Highlight Your Experience

Minimal Cover Letter Template

Highlight your experiences that are relevant to the job that you're applying to. Doing this assists the hiring manager in making the connection that you've got the right skills for the job. Leaving out experience that isn’t relevant means that your letter isn't overcrowded with irrelevant information

Edit your cover letter. Have someone else read and edit your letter too in case you missed something. If you've got typos it can distract from your skills.

4. Add a Call to Action

Add A Call To Action

Add a call to action to your letter. Adding a simple “I look forward to hearing from you” lets the hiring manager know that you want to hear back. This also tells your future employer that you care enough about the job that you want a response back.

5. Keep It Simple

Unless you're asked to submit a longer letter, most cover letters should be around half a page and no more than a full page. If the letter is too long the hiring manager may not even read it due to the length.

5 Professional Resume and Cover Letter Design Trends for 2022

Here are some recent design trends for a professional cover letters:

1. Custom Header

Custom Header

Having a unique header on your resume cover letter template makes your cover letter stand out. A custom header can also make important information such as your contact information and name more memorable.

2. Keep It Short

When looking for a resume cover letter template look for one that's a page long. Most hiring managers are really busy and won't read several pages of cover letter. 

An ideal word count for a cover letter is about 300 to 500 words. Having a cover letter this short keeps you from rambling. Be sure to only include the important information.

3. Use a Decorative Border

Decorative Border

A design trend is to have a minimal resume cover letter template with a decorative border. Having the design element be a border around the cover letter gives your cover letter a nice design without it being distracting. A decorative border is a great way to make your cover letter template unique without being unprofessional.

4. Matching Cover Letter and Resume

Having a cover letter that matches your resume makes your professional cover letter look more polished. When you've got a mismatched cover letter and resume it can look sloppy and unprofessional. You want your resume and cover letter to be visually consistent.

5. Column Layout Design

Column Layout Design

When looking for a professional cover letter a column layout design is a classic design that looks professional. The column layout looks neatly organized and shows that you're an organized person. This layout also allows you to organize your information into organized sections.

Discover More Resumes and Cover Letters Templates

I've shown you our premium resumes and cover letters templates and a selection of cover letter templates that are free to download. Now, start your resume today. Get inspired with these high-quality resume cover letter templates: 

best font for cover letter 2020

5 Benefits of Using Professional Cover Letter Templates

Free resume and cover letter templates are a good resource when the budget is small. But, ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">premium resumes and cover letters templates have way more benefits for you and your career opportunities. Don't miss on the advantage of professional templates!

Here are five reasons premium resume cover letter templates are better than free templates:

Benefits of Envato Elements ( The Power of Unlimited Use)

Envato Elements

Envato Elements is a service where you pay a low monthly fee for access to thousands of templates for a flat-rate price.

When you sign up for Envato Elements you'll get access to thousands of graphics and templates for unlimited use. With this subscription, you'll have access to images, templates, ppt templates, and much more.

Common Resume Questions Answered (FAQ)

Next, I've gathered up some of the most common questions people ask about resumes to provide you with some answers: 

1. Why Is It Important to Tailor a Resume to a Job Posting?

When a recruiter is reading a resume, the deciding factor isn't the candidate's experience or skills, but the fit between the job and the applicant. 

That's why is very important you tailor your resume to the vacancy you're interested in. The first step is understanding the hiring requirements of the company. Then, you need to write an inventory of your skills and achievements. Finally, you tailor them to the job opening. Know more in our guide: 

best font for cover letter 2020

2. What Mistakes Should I Avoid When Writing My Resume?

Whether you're job hunting or just updating your resume, you'll want to keep this information in mind. Some of the top mistakes to avoid are inflating your professional title, choosing a poor layout and design, and including irrelevant skills in your resume.

You can learn more here:

best font for cover letter 2020

3. What Is a Resume Skills Section?

It's a section dedicated to an applicant’s skills, which makes it easy for recruiters to check their qualifications. 

Also, it’s another opportunity to add keywords and highlight your skills in case the recruiter didn’t read through your professional history.

Remember, there are two main types of skills you need to include in your resume:

best font for cover letter 2020

4. How Long Should My Resume be?

This is a complicated question, as there isn't a definite answer. While nowadays the standard is a one-page-resume, that isn't always the best, or applicable to every candidate. 

Overall, this is a helpful guideline to keep in mind: your resume should be brief so that no one struggles to read it. But make it long enough to include the information recruiters are looking for.

Check more about it here: 

best font for cover letter 2020

5. What Are the Best Fonts for My Resume?

Choosing the right fonts for your resume is very important and you shouldn't forget about this. Unreadable resume fonts leave a bad impression on recruiters. 

The most important factors to consider when deciding what font you should use are: style, size and space between lines.

Learn more about fonts in our guide:

best font for cover letter 2020

Learn More About Resumes and Cover Letters

We hope you've found our templates and recommendations useful. Now, let me share with you our complete guide,  How to Create a Great Resume (Ultimate Guide) . There, you'll find even more handy resources like these:

best font for cover letter 2020

Get Started on Your Next Resume and Cover Letter

Now that you've seen some premium and free resume cover letter templates, you're ready to take the next step. There are many great ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">cover letter templates in this article. But remember: with free cover letter templates, you get what you pay for. Premium templates are usually a better choice.

Why not get started on your cover letter now? Download a ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">premium resume cover letter template today! 

Editorial Note: Our staff updates this post regularly—adding new resumes and cover letters so you can get the job you want.

Sarah Joy

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COMMENTS

  1. Cover Letter Font: 10+ Best Fonts For Your Cover Letter

    The 10 best cover letter fonts Here are 10 great cover letter fonts that you can't go wrong with: Helvetica Cambria Avenir Georgia Garamond Arial Times New Roman Trebuchet MS Verdana Calibri 1. Helvetica Helvetica is the perfect modern font for your cover letter.

  2. How To Choose Cover Letter Font and Font Size

    Here are a few of the best cover letter fonts: Avenir Calibri Cambria Constantia Corbel Franklin Gothic Garamond Arial Georgia Gill Sans Veranda Helvetica Selecting one of the above fonts ensures you're not causing the hiring manager any unnecessary eye strain and eliminates problems with automated scanning systems.

  3. How To Choose the Best Cover Letter Font

    Helvetica: This font is a sans serif font with a concise design. When utilized for a cover letter, it does not distract a reader from the content. If you're applying to a contemporary workplace, Helvetica is a suitable choice. Times New Roman: A classic serif font, Times New Roman is widely used in job applications.

  4. Best Cover Letter Font You Should Use (Size & Typeface)

    The best font for a cover letter should be easy to read and match the font you use in your resume. The most popular choices include Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, and Verdana. The font size should be set to 12pt and it's best to limit yourself to just one typeface. But that's the boring answer.

  5. What are the best cover letter fonts? · Resume.io

    The top 8 cover letter fonts to use Here is our list of good fonts for cover letters: Arial: Sort of like a Helvetica for the 21st century, Arial is a modern sans serif font popular for its legibility and clean lines. This one always makes the list of best fonts for cover letters. This is Arial

  6. Best Font for a Resume: How To Choose Type and Size

    A good font shows your professionalism and increases readability, giving your resume a chance to make it to the top of the pile. Here is a list of the best fonts for resumes: Arial Cambria Calibri Didot Garamond Times New Roman Helvetica Related: Resume Examples and Samples Resumes for 2020 How to choose the best resume font and size

  7. The 12 Best Cover Letter Examples: What They Got Right

    The inclusion of bullet points to highlight key skills and help the recruiter skim the document is a nice touch. 7. The Breezy Follow-Up. In this cover letter, Amanda Edens is following the instructions the hiring manager gave by forwarding an email with resume and writing samples attached.

  8. The Best Cover Letter Format [3 Sample Templates]

    4. Make sure you're selecting the cover letter format that best reflects who you are, your work history, and the job you're applying for. Remember a cover letter is a great way to introduce yourself to an employer and explain away any questions they might have about you based on your resume information. Make sure you're selecting the ...

  9. The 8 Best Cover Letter Examples in 2022 & Why They Rock

    font: chosen for readability and professionalism (Calibri and Georgia are examples of the best fonts for resumes and cover letters) font size: set between 10 and 12 points for easy reading Rate our article: 4.9 Click to rate this article 41 people rated this article Written by Aaron Case, CPRW

  10. How to write a cover letter in 2020 (with examples)

    The general format for how to write a cover letter in 2020 remains pretty much on par with the formatting you're likely familiar with from years past that include the items listed here:...

  11. The best fonts for resumes, cover letters, email, and more

    Going into detail, Serif fonts are the ones who portray formality and sophistication; Sans serif fonts are modern and neutral; Slab serifs are formal and contemporary; Script fonts are...

  12. Best Font for Resume: Size, Standard & Professional Pairings

    Verdana remains one of the best professional fonts for resumes, CVs, and cover letters alike. Pros: Great for job seekers who need to squeeze more onto their resumes, as it was optimized for small-print legibility. Cons: If you're seeking a "wow" CV font, keep on looking.

  13. These Are The Best Fonts For Your Resume In 2023

    In 2020's marketplace, these are the 10 best resume fonts based on reliability, perception, and style: 1 Open Sans (Modern) 2 Calibri (Modern) 3 Helvetica (Modern) 4 Avenir (Modern) 5 Lato (Modern) 6 Roboto (Modern) 7 Avant Garde (Modern) 8 Museo (Modern) 9 Georgia (Classic) 10 Garamond (Classic)

  14. 30+ Best Fonts for Resume + Cover Letters

    7 Jan 2020: By: Roshan Perera: Features: CV & Resume Templates, Font Collections: Category: Inspiration: Length: 6 min read: Writing the perfect resume or cover letter takes careful creative thinking. And choosing one of the best fonts for a resume or cover letter can help your words have an impact, look professional, and stand out!

  15. 9 Best Resume Fonts in 2023 [+ Size, Color, Fonts to Avoid]

    Resume Font Key 1. Calibri 2. Cambria 3. Garamond 4. Helvetica 5. Georgia 6. Tahoma 7. Verdana 8. Book Antiqua 9. Trebuchet MS What Are the Worst Fonts for a Resume? Maybe you have a font in mind that you like that didn't make our list of best resume fonts above. That's ok.

  16. Choosing The Best Font And Size For Cover Letters

    Picking an Appropriate Font Size for a Great Cover Letter. The size of your font is equally as important as choosing the correct font for your cover letter. If the text of your letter is too small or visibly challenging, your application might be passed up for another candidate. There are three general options when picking a font size, 10, 11 ...

  17. Best Font For Resume

    9. Arial Narrow. If you're tight on space, this sans serif is modern and still legible even in its narrow form. 10. Didot. This has style and panache, yet it is still readable. It's probably the most artistic font that's still professional enough to use on your resume. Image.

  18. Best Font For Cover Letter

    Hiring managers and recruiters largely agree on these being the 5 best font for cover letter styles. 1. Arial. Helvetica is a modern favorite that works well for all cover letters. It only comes preloaded on Apple computers so Arial is an excellent alternative if you don't have a Mac. Arial is the standard font for Google Docs and Microsoft ...

  19. 14 Best Font for Resume in 2022: With 10+ Examples

    Here are the top 10 best resume fonts in 2022 1. Helvetica This is a Swiss sans-serif font licensed by Linotype. A lot of professionals rank Helvetica as the most beautiful sans-serif font. Thus, making it the best sans-serif font 2022 as it is sure to divert the recruiter's attention to your resume. Why use it?

  20. Best Font For Resume [List of Good Resume Fonts]

    8. Verdana. Our final font is modern and familiar without being overused. Verdana is a good alternative to Arial, which is one of the most common fonts used for resumes worldwide. It gives your resume the same clean presentation, but with a little extra impact, because the hiring manager won't be as used to seeing it.

  21. 20 Free Professional Resume Cover Letter Format Templates for Jobs 2022

    Here's a list of some of the best cover letter template free to download: 1. Traditional Elegance Cover Letter Template (Free Download) This cover letter template for job application download has a very traditional style. This free cover letter template gives you a good head start if you've never written a letter for a job application before.