10 Best Fonts for a CV in 2024 & How to Choose

You’ll get endless advice during your job search. But there’s one improvement that’s so obvious you probably don’t even see it. It’s your choice of font. Is it easy enough to ask what is the best font for a CV? But it’s a different story when it comes to actually choosing it.

This guide includes a selection of the best fonts for your CV. It also includes tips and tricks for font formatting and style that will improve the look of your CV.

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What is the best font for a CV?

The most popular fonts for a CV include Arial, Times New Roman, and Calibri. They’re particularly known for their readability and professional appeal. Arial is modern and clean; Times New Roman offers a classic and formal look; Calibri is clear and easy to read on both screens and paper.

When deciding on the best CV font, pick the one that is easy on the eye yet attracts the reader. Don’t adopt overly decorative fonts, as they may hinder readability. Your font choice significantly impacts how your CV is perceived, increasing the chances that your application will be considered for the next recruitment round.

Key font types to consider before picking a CV font

Before we dig deeper into the best CV font choices, you might be interested in familiarizing yourself with the five key font types. This knowledge should simplify the process of picking the most suitable font for you.

1. Serif

Serif fonts feature small strokes attached to the larger end strokes of letters. One of their greatest advantages is that they remain easily read even when formatted in smaller sizes. A representative of a popular serif font is Times New Roman.

2. Sans Serif

Sans serif fonts lack the small decorative strokes at the end of the main strokes of the letters. Contrary to serif fonts, they don’t have additional embellishments and hence have a cleaner and more modern appearance.

3. Script

Script fonts aim to emulate the fluid strokes of cursive handwriting, providing a more natural feel. They can be either formal or casual and are frequently used for logo creation.

4. Monospaced

Monospaced fonts, originally designed for typewriters, allocate the same horizontal space to each letter. People use them for coding, although they may be less readable in other contexts.

5. Display

Display fonts are designed for large sizes, suitable for billboard messages or highlighting essential information. This category encompasses a diverse range of font families, including both serif and sans-serif options.

Now, let’s head to our complete list of the best fonts for a CV for the UK market.

Best fonts for a CV in 2024

1. Garamond

We chose this as our first pick because of its long and distinguished history. It was originally designed by Claude Garamond sometime in the early 16th century and is well-known for its elegant and timeless design. You’ll recognize Garamond by its relatively high contrast between thick and thin strokes and distinctive letterforms.

Source: Microsoft

2. Times New Roman

No list of the best CV fonts would be complete without Times New Roman. So-called because it was commissioned by the Times of London in 1931, it’s easily the most popular serif font known for its legibility and classic design. Times New Roman is an excellent choice for adding a conservative and professional feel to your overall CV format.

Source: Microsoft

3. Arial

Arial is easily one of the best-known fonts out there. Packaged with every version of Windows since version 3.1 back in 1992, it’s the default font of choice for many. It’s also the most popular sans-serif font, giving your CV a more modern look. Due to its readability, people tend to use it for both digital and print materials, such as websites, documents, or presentations.

Source: Microsoft

4. Calibri

Another well-known sans serif font, Calibri, has been around since the early 2000s, and in 2007, it became the default font for the Microsoft Office suite. Its creator, Lucas de Groot, describes it as having a ‘warm and soft character.’ Its soft, rounded curves are certainly pleasing to the eye, forming one of the best font styles for a CV. Calibri is easy on the eye and lets you keep the right CV length.

Source: Microsoft

5. Cambria

Cambria is another younger font type, having been first designed in 2004. It’s another example of a serif font, and its overall feel is more square and angular than Calibri or Arial. A word of caution with this one, though. Design experts say it’s an excellent font for reading on screen, but it doesn’t work well when printed onto paper (see Cambria alternatives). Thankfully, though, that’s a rare occurrence these days, so it’s still one of the best fonts for a CV.

Source: Microsoft

6. Helvetica

Helvetica was created in 1957 and was specifically designed to have exceptional clarity and be used on signs. Considering the average recruiter takes less than 10 seconds to read your CV, you want them to take in as much as possible as fast as possible. That’s why Helvetica might be one of the best fonts for your CV, keeping it readable and concise.

Source: MyFonts

7. Gill Sans

Gill Sans is one of the best fonts for a CV in the UK. It’s uniquely British. It was created in 1927 and inspired by the corporate font of the London Underground. Furthermore, it was also used on the covers of Penguin Books and was the official font of the BBC. It’s iconically British, and its striking sans-serif look will make a fine addition to your CV.

Source: Microsoft

8. Trebuchet MS

Trebuchet MS is a good alternative to Arial. It’s one of the best fonts for a CV if you want a clean, sans-serif look while still standing out from the crowd. It was named after a siege weapon that hurls rocks at the enemy, similar to a catapult. Use this for your CV, and it will launch your career like its medieval namesake.

Source: Microsoft

9. Didot

With Didot, we again journey back centuries in the past as it was first developed in late 18th century France. Its use of fine hairline elements gives it a style and sophistication that is lacking in some of the more standard fonts, so we’d consider it a good font for a CV for jobs in creative industries.

Source: MyFonts

10. Tahoma

You’re probably already familiar with Tahoma, another font that Windows popularised. It’s a sans-serif font that’s similar to Verdana, but the letters are narrower and have closer spacing. That’s a real advantage if you want more content on your page. After all, the best CV length is 1–2 pages, so if you’ve overrun by a line, try switching to Tahoma.

Source: Microsoft

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Best CV font size in the UK

CV font size is just as important as font type. Too big and you won’t fit in enough content. Too small and you risk making it unreadable.

So, what size font should a CV be? The sweet spot is 10–12 pts for your body text, and you can go 4–6 pts larger for your section headings and your name in the CV header. Just make sure all font sizes are consistent throughout the whole document.

The larger size adds emphasis, but there are other ways of using fonts to highlight significant information, and we’ll have a look at those next.

CV font formatting in a nutshell

Font size and font type aren’t the end of the story when it comes to effectively using fonts in your CV. Here’s how to format your fonts to make your CV even more readable.

1. Bolding

Bolding makes your text appear darker and heavier. It’s a great way of making the most important information stand out. We’d advise you not to overuse it, though, as it’ll lose its impact. Reserve it for the most essential information, such as your name and job titles, in your work experience section.

2. Italicising

Italicising makes your font slant to the right, and it’s based on old-fashioned calligraphic handwriting. It’s an old trick that can be traced all the way back to the year 1500 and is an ideal way of emphasising small chunks of text. We’d recommend you use it even more sparingly than bolding. A good place to use it is for the name and location of your employer in your work history.

3. Font pairing

You can actually use two different types of font in your CV, and this trick is called font pairing. The key is to use fonts that complement each other and create a cohesive CV design. A good example is pairing a sans-serif font with a serif font to create balance. You could have your name and section headings in one font and your body text in another.

4. What not to use

There are other ways of drawing attention to the text in your CV. However, they’re less favourable. Here’s what to avoid when formatting your CV:

• Underlining. It looks messy and adds clutter to the page. A good CV layout should maximise white space and clarity.
• CAPITALISING. This will work for your section headings, but don’t use it elsewhere. Otherwise, it looks like you’re shouting.
• Highlighting. Perfectly fine if you’re writing notes, but not really a good option for your CV. Just like underlining, it’s messy and distracting.

CV font formatting examples

Finally, here are some examples of font formatting done well.

This extract from a work experience section makes good use of bold and italics. Just remember to be consistent with your formatting throughout your CV.

This example is from a CV education section, again adding emphasis with bold and italics.

Here is an example of font pairing and differing font sizes. Didot as a larger serif font section heading, complements the smaller body text in sans serif Arial.

What to remember when choosing the best font for a CV?

Your font choice may seem trivial, but it can actually have a powerful effect on the reader. Some fonts are notoriously unacceptable for professional purposes. Write your CV in Comic Sans or Papyrus, and it will likely be rejected.

Here are a bunch of tips to consider before choosing what font to use for a CV:

1. Aim for readability: Choose from fonts that are easy to read on-screen and print. Clarity should be decisive in ensuring your document is accessible and professional.
2. Opt for classic fonts: Pick fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, or Times New Roman. These font styles are commonly recognized and available on most systems, thus guaranteeing consistency (and they match basic CV templates, too).
3. Consider industry standards: Be well aware of any industry-specific preferences for fonts. Certain professions or sectors may have standard expectations, so aligning your font choice with industry norms is crucial.
4. Maintain consistency: Keep a consistent font throughout your CV template to create a polished and cohesive CV look. Avoid using multiple fonts, which can make your CV appear cluttered. On top of that, remember that your CV and cover letter should match in terms of templates and visuals.
5. Keep the right font hierarchy: Use font styles and sizes strategically to establish a hierarchy in your CV. Employ a slightly larger font or bold style for section headings and a standard font for the main body text. This will help recruiters read your CV with ease.

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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Thanks for reading! If you’re still struggling to choose the best font and size for a CV, please ask in the comments section, and I’ll be happy to help you decide.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.