The Best and Worst Fonts to Use on Your Résumé

When searching for a job, your résumé is one of the most important ways to present a picture of who you are and what you can bring to a company. But can the font you select make a difference in how people see you?

Bloomberg asked three typography experts which typefaces make you look classiest and which should never, ever be seen by an employer.

The number one choice? By far, Helvetica:

“Helvetica is so no-fuss, it doesn’t really lean in one direction or another. It feels  professional, lighthearted, honest,” says Brian Hoff, creative director of Brian Hoff Design. “Helvetica is safe. Maybe that’s why it’s more business-y.”

There are other options that, like Helvetica, are sans-serif, meaning their letters do not have the tiny "feet" that adorn the "T" in Times New Roman, for example. Do not choose a cheap imitator, the experts counsel. “If it's me, [I’m using] Helvetica. Helvetica is beautiful,” says Matt Luckhurst, the creative director at Collins, a brand consultancy, in San Francisco. “There is only one Helvetica.”

Other choices for "top fonts" were Proxima Nova and Garamond. I've always been a fan of Franklin Gothic Medium, I must confess.

Perhaps surprisingly, one of the most common fonts apparently shouldn't be used. That's Times New Roman:

Using old faithful might send the wrong sign to your future boss, though. “It’s telegraphing that you didn’t put any thought into the typeface that you selected,” says Hoff. “It’s like putting on sweatpants.”

Also on the list to avoid are Zapfino, Courier, and everybody's favorite Comic Sans.

Of course, it's what's on the resume that really counts, right?