Best Fonts and Formatting for a Professional Resume

Learn the formatting principles and font choices that will make your resume stand out while staying clean and recruiter-friendly.

Best Fonts for Resumes in 2025

Stick to classic, readable fonts that look clean on screen and print well. Avoid anything too decorative or difficult to scan.

• Poppins
• Rubik
• Roboto
• Helvetica
• Archivo
• Nunito

Font Sizes and Styling

• Body text: 10.5–12 pt
• Section headers: 12–14 pt (bold)
• Name at the top: 18–22 pt

Layout and Margins

A clean layout improves readability. Don’t crowd the page—white space helps guide the eye.

• Margins: 0.5”–1” all around
• Line spacing: 1.15 to 1.5
• Align text left for easy scanning

Use of Color and Visual Elements

Keep it simple. Use one accent color if desired, but avoid clip art unless the role or region requires it.

PDF Format: Always

Always export your resume as a PDF to preserve formatting across devices. Name your file professionally (e.g., firstname_lastname_resume.pdf).

ATS-Friendly Formatting

Avoid tables, text boxes, and graphics. Stick to standard section titles (e.g., “Experience,” “Education,” “Skills”) to help applicant tracking systems parse your resume correctly.

Final Thought

Your resume design should highlight your content—not distract from it. Use clean fonts, consistent spacing, and professional structure to make a strong impression.