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Study: Hiring Managers Rank Popular Resume Fonts From Best to Worst

Study: Hiring Managers Rank Popular Resume Fonts From Best to Worst main article image
Posted on September 17, 2024 by Maurits Schroder from Creative Fabrica
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In the competitive world of job applications, every detail on your resume counts. From the content of your resume to its design, it’s important to stand out from the crowd — in a good way. One often overlooked detail is the font style used on your resume. Do you go with a traditional font such as Times New Roman, a fun font such as Poppins, and more importantly, how does your font impact your chances of getting hired?

At Creative Fabrica we are passionate about all things related to design, so we were curious to find out how a resume font type impacts an applicant’s likelihood of getting hired. To find out, we surveyed 1,003 hiring managers about their thoughts on common resume design choices and the fonts they prefer to see. Read on to find out if your resume’s design aligns with what hiring managers want to see. 

Key Findings

  • Times New Roman, Arial, and Helvetica are the best resume fonts. 
  • Over half, 61%, of hiring managers say your resume’s design affects your chances of getting the job.
  • 52% of hiring managers dislike resumes done by AI. 
  • 70% of hiring managers have had difficulty reading a resume due to its design.

The Resume Fonts Hiring Managers Like Best

When choosing a font for your resume, it’s not just about aesthetics but also about functionality. After all, 61% of hiring managers say your resume’s design affects your chances of getting the job. The font you select can influence how easily your resume is read and how your personality and professionalism are perceived. With hundreds of fonts to choose from, it can be hard to know which one will help you make the best impression and ensure you stand out from the other applicants. 

To find out which resume fonts are best to use, we asked 1,003 hiring managers to rank 25 of the most popular fronts in order of which ones they like to see on a resume. Topping the list are Times New Roman, Arial, and Helvetica. Times New Roman is a classic serif font that is known for its traditional and formal appearance, Arial is a san-serif font that offers a clean, modern look, and Helvetica is another sans-serif font that offers a sleek design. All three of these fonts make your resume readable and professional. 

It’s said that hiring managers look at a resume for an average of only six to seven seconds, so making sure your font is appealing and easy to digest is important. Unfortunately, not every font makes the cut. Out of the 25 fonts, hiring managers ranked Consolas, Roboto Mono, and Comfortaa as their least favorite to see on resumes. These fonts have more of a unique design that can detract from the overall professionalism and readability of your resume. Consolas is a monospaced font that is typically used for coding and technical documents, Roboto Mono also belongs to the monospaced font family and may lack visual appeal, and Comfortaa features a rounded design that can be viewed as too casual for a resume. 

Besides being too casual, your resume can also be too “non-human.” With artificial intelligence on the rise, many hiring managers are using it to screen candidates. Nearly a quarter of hiring managers say they use AI tools to review resumes. On the flip side, however, if you’re thinking about asking a bot to craft you a winning resume, think again. Over half, 52%, of hiring managers, say they dislike resumes done by AI.

The best and worst resume fonts ranked

The Worst Design Choices on a Resume 

Along with the font, the overall design of your resume is important. Having too little structure can be underwhelming, but implementing too much design can be distracting. It can be a hard balance to master, as 70% of hiring managers say they’ve had difficulty reading a resume due to its design. If your resume is too challenging to interpret in the short time it’s reviewed, then you’re most likely not going to be considered for the position despite your qualifications. 

According to hiring managers, the worst font characteristics mistakes you can make are having too many font types, inconsistent spacing, and using an excessive amount of font color. When it comes to overall design, the elements they dislike most are emojis, a cluttered layout, and inconsistent formatting. Steering clear of these disastrous design choices can be an influential factor in whether or not you get an interview. 

Along with design elements, another thing to keep in mind is the hiring manager’s age. The younger the hiring manager, the more they care about your resume’s design.  In fact, 81% of Gen Z hiring managers say a resume’s design impacts whether they consider the candidate for the job or not, compared to only 53% of baby boomers. This may be the case as younger hiring managers may be more accustomed to modern and innovative resume designs that grab their attention. 

The worst resume design choices

The Best Resume Font by Industry 

Different industries have different expectations of what your resume should look like. In creative fields such as graphic design, advertising, or media, hiring managers tend to appreciate a resume that reflects creativity. However, in more traditional fields like law, finance, or education, there is more of a preference for a standard presentation. However, a common thread is that all industries prefer professional fonts that are classic and to the point.  

Check out the interactive table below, to see which fonts your industry’s hiring managers prefer!

Craft the Perfect Resume With Creative Fabrica 

Whether it’s the font on your resume or the typography on your latest digital design, your choice of font plays a crucial role in how your work is perceived and can impact your success. When considering what font to use, it’s important to think about readability, industry standards, and your own personal branding. 

At Creative Fabrica we offer valuable resume templates and resources that can help you make the right font choice for any project. With a diverse catalog of high-quality fonts, free fonts and educational blog posts about fonts, you can feel confident your project will make a powerful impression. For inspiration and more, check out our blog, where we discuss other industry topics to ensure your projects stand out against the crowd. 

Methodology

In September 2024, we surveyed 1,003 hiring managers about resume design choices. Along with a series of design questions, managers were asked to rank 25 resume fonts from 1 to 3 in batches of 5. If the font was ranked 1st, it received 3 points, 2nd received 2 points, and 3rd received 1 point. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 76 years old, and were 49% female, 50% male, and 1% nonbinary.

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