Best Resume Fonts and Layout in 2026

Design choices on your CV are not cosmetic — they affect whether the document is readable, ATS-parseable, and whether the hiring manager gets a positive first impression. Here is what the evidence and recruiter feedback consistently says.

Best Fonts for CVs in 2026

Stick to professional, widely supported fonts. These are the top choices:

• Calibri — the Microsoft default, clean and highly readable at small sizes
• Georgia — elegant serif, works well for formal and academic CVs
• Garamond — classic and space-efficient, popular in consulting and law
• Helvetica / Arial — modern sans-serif, strong in tech and creative fields
• Lato or Source Sans Pro — modern choices for digital-first applications

Fonts to Avoid

• Times New Roman — outdated, seen as lazy default
• Comic Sans — never appropriate on a professional document
• Papyrus or decorative fonts — unreadable at small sizes
• Script or handwriting fonts — ATS cannot read them

Font Size Rules

• Your name: 18–24pt
• Section headings: 12–14pt, bold
• Body text: 10–11pt
• Contact details: 10pt
• Nothing below 9pt — recruiters read on screens and in print

Margins and Spacing

Use 1.5–2cm margins on all sides. Line spacing of 1.15 to 1.5 makes bullets easier to scan. White space is not wasted space — it gives the eye a place to rest and makes your CV look less cluttered.

Colour on Your CV

A single accent colour for your name or section headings is fine and can add personality. Two or more accent colours starts to look distracting. For conservative industries (finance, law, medicine), stick to black and white. For creative roles, a single tasteful colour is appropriate.