A job seeker needs every possible advantage against other candidates. Details that have gotten down to a science include networking, researching a prospective employer and composing the perfectly concise cover letter. Even something as simple as the type of font on your resume may help you land the job of your dreams.
A 2015 report from Bloomberg indicates the type of font you put on a resume may actually give you an advantage over another job seeker. Stand out from the crowd by moving away from default fonts such as Times New Roman. Otherwise, you may as well wear sweatpants to the interview.
Avoid a fancy font that includes cursive letters such as Zapfino. These scripts appear too much like a wedding invitation. Do not try to invite a potential company to an event when the opposite occurs during a job search. You want an HR manager to invite you to the interview, not send someone at the company best wishes. Cursive scripts connote greeting cards, and your resume does not convey those kinds of feelings.
Do not use a font that appears to come from a typewriter. You have a computer, so it is okay to branch out and use a different type of font that does not appear boring or pretentious. The Courier font looks like you inserted paper into an old-style typewriter and plugged away for a few hours. Add some whiteout to make the document look more authentic.
The best font does not use little feet at the end of letters, a style known as sans-serif. Helvetica and Garamond represent simple, clear letters that convey professionalism and communicate in a straightforward way. Human eyes have little trouble distinguishing letters in these two fonts, so your reader's eyes do not have to strain as much. Look over your document before you submit it to an employer. If you have to strain to see something, perhaps you should alter the font.
Tailor your type of font to the industry or company. A graphic design resume could actually stand out with fancier, non-cursive scripts. A curriculum vitae for a lawyer's office should probably look like the same typeface used for legal documents submitted to a court system. If possible, mimic the typeface used on a company website or company logo.
Vary from one type of font to another between your resume headings and resume text. Use one style, such as Helvetica, for all headings and then another, such as Garamond, for the text underneath the headings. This way, your text breaks the monotony from one section to the next. Make your headings stand out by using boldface, and increasing the font size, versus regular text.
As a job seeker, one type of font may impress a prospective employer. Make your resume clear to read, easy to follow and look professional by choosing a nonstandard typeface that remains aesthetically pleasing.
Photo courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!