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  • #1

    Is there a "correct" resume font?

    Pretty straightforward question. I'm working on a revamp of my resume, and I'm just wondering if, to you, there's a "correct" font. I know better than to use Comic Sans MS, obviously, but I'm wondering about a few others.

    For instance, I've read that one should use no more than two fonts on their resume. I'm cool with that, but which two? And if I go with one, which one?

    For instance, I like the look of the Verdana font. I think it's a nice font (especially since it was designed for being viewed on a screen). I've used it on a resume before, and it looked really good. I've also seen and read that we should stick to straightforward fonts, like Times New Roman, but I'm looking for something to set me apart.

    I considered using Georgia, but I think the numbers on it are kinda funky, and I don't think for this application it would be good, because a recruiter or hiring manager may be put off by it.

    I tried it once with Arial, but found it a bit hard to read in some cases.

    Right now, I'm going with a mix of Times New Roman for body text, and Trebuchet MS for my name and heading.

    I also, at one point, considered going with something like Courier New, but a monospaced font looked a little plain and old fashioned, not necessarily what I want on a tech resume.

    So here's the list of fonts I'm considering:

    Verdana
    Times New Roman
    Georgia
    Arial
    Trebuchet MS
    Courier New

    So what do you think?

    Also, what do you think of submitting resumes as PDFs? The reason I do it is that I've read stories about recruiters who like to change around resumes, and either add things, or move things around, or change how things are worded. A PDF keeps that from happening, for the most part.

    I had a recruiter tell me that the reason they want Word documents is so that they can put their heading on it, and it makes it easier for "their system" to input the resume, and helps with keyword searches. I don't necessarily believe them, but I can't do much about it, especially considering they always give the classic line, "Well, we don't want to make people mad..."
    Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.
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  • #2
    Comic Sans, Papyrus, and Cooper Black all the way, man!

    You can always submit them in multiple formats at once, if you like (e.g. doc and pdf).

    Personal opinions:

    Arial and any variant of Courier -- I don't care for them. Courier has its uses, but resumes aren't one of them.

    Times/Georgia -- Traditional, but you may wish to use a sans serif font like Trebuchet or Verdana if your resume is packed densely, for readabilty's sake.
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    • #3
      I was always told to never mix font. Pick one. It was also recommended to limit it to four font sizes. I use Times New Roman. 18pt for my name, 14pt for address and section headings. 12pt for the rest of the content.

      I also have to question if it really matter. The last couple of time I sent off a resume, it was an electronic submission. The process stripped it of all formatting. Gone are the days of picking the right color and weight of the paper to make your resume stand out.
      Life is too short to not eat popcorn.
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      • #4
        Wingdings?
        I'm not helping.
        Unseen but seeing
        oh dear, now they're masquerading as sane-KiaKat
        There isn't enough interpretive dance in the workplace these days-Irv
        3rd shift needs love, too
        RIP, mo bhrionglóid

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        • #5
          Ok, I think I've decided to go with Trebuchet for my name and the titles, and I'm gonna do one version with Times New Roman, and one with Verdana, to see what looks better.
          Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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          • #6
            The only thing I have to add is that the CORRECT spelling is RÉSUMÉ! I don't know why so many people started omitting the accent marks, as without them, it's a completely different word! The word "resume" means to continue doing something, i.e. "After a brief pause to fix a sandwich, I resumed binge-watching Daredevil on Netflix".
            "Eventually one outgrows the fairy tales of childhood, belief in Santa and the Easter Bunny, and believing that SCs are even capable of imagining themselves in our position."
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            • #7
              Quoth Jack T. Chance View Post
              The only thing I have to add is that the CORRECT spelling is RÉSUMÉ! I don't know why so many people started omitting the accent marks, as without them, it's a completely different word! The word "resume" means to continue doing something, i.e. "After a brief pause to fix a sandwich, I resumed binge-watching Daredevil on Netflix".
              Because I don't feel like pulling up the character map to see what the code for the e with the accent would be.
              Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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              • #8
                Whatever you do, don't use Comic Sans.
                I believe Verdanda is a good choice.
                This site proves Corey Taylor right. Man really is a "four letter word."

                I'm now using my Deviant Art page to post my humor.

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                • #9
                  Maybe kind of off topic, but why does everyone hate comic sans so much? It's just another font, far as I'm concerned, and usually pretty easy to read.
                  You're only delaying the inevitable, you run at your own expense. The repo man gets paid to chase you. ~Argabarga

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                  • #10
                    Quoth Kittish View Post
                    Maybe kind of off topic, but why does everyone hate comic sans so much?
                    That's what I want to know. It's my favorite.
                    Unseen but seeing
                    oh dear, now they're masquerading as sane-KiaKat
                    There isn't enough interpretive dance in the workplace these days-Irv
                    3rd shift needs love, too
                    RIP, mo bhrionglóid

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                    • #11
                      Quoth Becks View Post
                      That's what I want to know. It's my favorite.
                      OH THANK GOD IT'S NOT JUST ME!
                      When you start at zero, everything's progress.

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                      • #12
                        I don't think it's a bad font, it just has a reputation for being not very professional or serious.

                        Mjr-now that you've picked your fonts have someone check the resume once it's complete, I hate trying to read resume where the I,l and 1 aren't clear, and sometimes when you have a strange word it doesn't space out well in certain fonts and trebuchet might be one, (I can't remember but I've seen a few come in different fonts) things like cold becoming cdd or hall becoming hdl. Nothing worse than trying to figure out what a word is.
                        Pain and suffering are inevitable...misery is optional.

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                        • #13
                          Quoth NecessaryCatharsis View Post
                          I don't think it's a bad font, it just has a reputation for being not very professional or serious.
                          Yes. This is the thing about Comic Sans. It's generally considered "unprofessional". It works with some businesses (perhaps, advertising for a daycare or something whimsical). But it is overwhelmingly frowned upon in "corporate" environments, and when developing a resume.

                          Mjr-now that you've picked your fonts have someone check the resume once it's complete, I hate trying to read resume where the I,l and 1 aren't clear, and sometimes when you have a strange word it doesn't space out well in certain fonts and trebuchet might be one, (I can't remember but I've seen a few come in different fonts) things like cold becoming cdd or hall becoming hdl. Nothing worse than trying to figure out what a word is.
                          I've checked it, and I think I'll be OK, because:

                          Trebuchet: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPED OVER THE LAZY DOG. 123456789

                          Looks different than:

                          Verdana: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPED OVER THE LAZY DOG. 123456789

                          They are similar enough, but just different enough. And notice, too, that Verdana is "larger" than Trebuchet.

                          Though, looking at it now, I may need to look into a serif font to possibly replace Trebuchet.
                          Last edited by mjr; 07-18-2016, 02:46 PM.
                          Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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