Resume Fonts & Design That Impress in 2025 (Without Breaking ATS Rules)
Discover the best fonts and design tips for resumes in 2025. Learn how to choose fonts that look professional, pass ATS scans, and make your resume stand out.
Updated Jan 1, 2026
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9 min
Why Font and Design Matter More Than Ever
Your resume design makes an impression before a recruiter even reads a word. The font, spacing, and layout all affect how polished and professional it feels.
In 2025, that balance between style and substance matters more than ever. Your resume should look clean and modern. It also needs to work well with applicant tracking systems (ATS). These systems scan for keywords and formatting.
Pro Tip: A beautiful resume that an ATS can’t read is as bad as a plain one that’s hard to look at. The best designs find that sweet spot — clear, consistent, and completely compatible.
What Font Is Best for Resumes in 2025?
The best fonts are simple, modern, and easy on the eyes. Avoid fancy fonts. They can break while processing, making your resume look messy on various screens.
Here are top-performing fonts in 2025:
Calibri – Clean, modern, and recruiter-approved
Arial – Simple, universal, and great for screens
Helvetica – Sleek and professional, ideal for creative fields
Lato – Minimal but warm; great for digital readability
Georgia – A classic serif font that adds subtle personality
Skip decorative or script fonts like Comic Sans, Papyrus, or Brush Script. They look unprofessional and often cause formatting issues when uploaded.
Pro Tip: Always test your resume in both PDF and Word. Fonts can shift slightly between platforms.
For more on formatting, check out PDF vs Word Resume: Which Format Is Best for Job Applications in 2025?
Resume Design Tips That Still Pass ATS
1. Keep the Layout Simple
Avoid graphics, icons, or multiple columns. ATS software struggles to read them. Stick with one column, clear headings, and bullet points.
2. Use Consistent Font Sizes
Name: 16–18 pt
Headings: 12–14 pt
Body text: 10–12 pt
This simple hierarchy keeps things easy to read and visually balanced.
3. Limit Your Colors
Stick with one accent color — navy, charcoal, or forest green are safe choices. Bright or neon colors can look unprofessional or display poorly on some screens.
4. Add Breathing Room
White space helps your resume feel open and easy to scan. If it feels cramped when you look at it, recruiters will feel that too.
5. Test Before You Send
Open your resume on a phone, tablet, and laptop. Make sure spacing and font display correctly everywhere.
Pro Tip: Print it once. If it looks off on paper, it probably needs a tweak digitally too.
Resume Templates: Helpful or Risky?
Templates can save you time, but not all are ATS-friendly. Many Canva or Photoshop designs look great but can break when scanned.
Always export a plain text version for online applications if you use a creative template.
(Insert image: designer comparing two resume templates — one creative, one clean and ATS-friendly. Alt text: person evaluating creative vs ATS-safe resume template layouts.)
A graphic designer picked a colorful template with layered text boxes. It looked amazing as a PDF, but it didn’t work for online uploads. When she used a clean, ATS-safe template to rebuild it, she got responses right away.
If you prefer templates, choose one designed for ATS compatibility.
For good options, check out Best Resume Builders in 2025 (Tried, Tested & Ranked for Every Job Type). It shows tools that mix creativity with compliance.
Pro Tip: Think of design as a supporting role. It should highlight your experience — not steal the spotlight.
Do Resume Designs Affect ATS Readability?
Absolutely. ATS systems can’t read what they can’t see. They scan plain text — not images, icons, or shapes.
(Insert image: ATS software highlighting missing information from a design-heavy resume. Alt text: applicant tracking system misreading a resume with text embedded in graphics.)
If your resume has text in graphics or images, key details like job titles and skills may go unseen.
Example: One applicant embedded his contact info in a header graphic. The ATS couldn’t detect his email or phone number, and his application was rejected before anyone saw it.
Fix it: Keep text simple, standard, and selectable. Avoid embedding text into shapes or images.
To dive deeper, check out ATS Resume Tips: How to Make Sure Your Resume Passes in 2025 for a quick checklist.
Quick Checklist: Font & Design Dos and Don’ts
FAQ — Resume Fonts & Design in 2025
What font is best for resumes in 2025?
Modern, ATS-safe fonts like Calibri, Lato, Arial, or Helvetica. Serif fonts like Georgia are fine if you want a more traditional feel.
Do resume designs affect ATS readability?
Yes. ATS systems can’t read graphics or text boxes. Use a simple layout with real text — not shapes or layers.
Can I still use color or design?
Definitely. A subtle accent color and even spacing can make your resume stand out while still looking professional.
How do I know if it’s ATS-friendly?
Paste it into a plain text file. If it looks messy or missing info, fix your formatting.
Conclusion — Simplicity Wins in 2025
The best resumes in 2025 are clean, modern, and effortless to read. Great design isn’t about flash — it’s about function. Choosing the right font and layout helps your resume feel polished and pass the ATS test.
Ready to elevate your resume? Start using Wensa’s Resume Builder today and see the difference. It employs smart design principles and ATS-friendly formatting by default. So, your resume always looks sharp and scans well.
For more expert advice, check out Top Resume Mistakes to Avoid in 2025 (And How to Fix Them).
Teanca Holt is a recruiting expert and digital content writer from Utah with over five years of experience helping people craft resumes that get noticed. At Wensa, she shares practical tips on writing, career growth, and landing the job you want.
