The writing of a professional looking resume does not have to be complicated. It also does not need to be expensive, despite what the many resume writing experts tout when selling their services.
In this article, we are going to focus on the appearance of your resume. Specifically, the font that you choose for your document. Of course, the content of your document is critical and should be the primary focus of your efforts. This aspect, however, has been covered in some other articles that are available for your reading on wnyjobs.com.
While selecting the font (both type and size) may seem like a simple decision there are so many options available through Microsoft Word that selecting the best one may seem daunting. Try not to use anything but the MS Office product to ensure compatibility with the company. Your choice should be professional looking and easy to read. This eliminates many of the possibilities that are too “creative” for a work document like a resume. It is imperative that your resume is very readable for the recruiter, since most recruiters only spend seconds reviewing the document before deciding whether to read further or discard.
If you go outside the norm with your font, you are doing so at tremendous risk to your candidacy. The reward is that your resume may be more likely to be noticed and, in some situations, may be appropriate. In my opinion, the only time being “creative” should be considered is if you are seeking a position in a field such as graphic design, or applying for a company that you know has a real “outside the box” reputation.
Your font size is also especially important. I know that it can be very tempting to want to include as much information as possible. Your document, however, has to be easily readable, so my recommendation is that you use a 12-point font. I hate to show my age, but I regularly struggle to read resumes that use a 10-point (or even less) font, all done in the spirit of getting more words on the page. It is okay to use varied sizes during your resume, but I would cap it at two in order to give your document a clean, concise look. For example, you may want to go slightly larger for a heading or your contact information. I would not recommend that you ever go larger than 14-point.
I tend to use the same three fonts when I am writing. Fortunately, these are also what I see most used when reviewing resumes. The most common one that I see used is “Calibri”, which happens to be the default font for Microsoft Word. Just the fact that a reader is most used to seeing this font makes it one that should be highly considered. I also will use “Arial”, which is a very traditional business font. Finally, “Times New Roman” is a favorite, but since it is a serif font (v. sans serif), it can appear to be a little larger than the two noted earlier.
I like using the same font throughout a document. I am not sure why there would be a need to use more than one, as this would seem to just confuse the eyes of the reader. Perhaps, you may want to use a different font for your headers, so that they stand out more. I would not, however, go beyond this difference in order to avoid reader confusion. For the sake of continuity then, no more than two fonts should be used.
I would refrain from overusing the typographical emphasis options available to you. You may consider selecting “bold” for your headers and perhaps sparingly use the “underline” on a key point. I would not recommend using the “italics” option in your resume, as it is likely to be misused in the context of this document.
A resume is a valuable tool when it comes to introducing yourself to a prospective employer. Every aspect of the document matters, but luckily acing your resume does not have to be difficult. A prompt decision to make before you start writing, is what font to use and what size should be selected. Erring on the side of professionalism and readability should make your choice a fairly easy one.
As always, best of luck in your job search.
The following has been prepared for the general information of RochesterJobs readers. It is not meant to provide advice with respect to any specific legal or policy matter and should not be acted upon without verification by the reader.
Joe Stein
WNY Human Resources Professional
Feel free to contact Joe Stein regarding questions or comments at:
Joe Stein
