Experts spell out what your CV font says about you

Honest professionals with a good heart use Helvetica; the very experienced but concise go for Garamond and the plain lazy label themselves in Times New Roman.

Such is the near consensus from a panel of typography gurus, reportedly asked to give their verdicts on what the font chosen for a CV says about its user -- the job candidate.

In line with (but going deeper than) the age-old CV advice to IT contractors to just use a font that is “clear and easy to read” were three experts, each of them based in the US.

Speaking to Bloomberg, brand consultant Matt Luckhurst praised CVs in Garamond, as the font is “legible and easy” to follow, ideal to fit a long career onto a single A4 page.

Even more adulation was expressed for Helvetica – a “beautiful” font for a CV, one of the experts said, that conveys the candidate as a ‘no-fuss, professional, light-hearted and honest’ person, claimed another.

The latter verdict, from creative boss Brian Hoff, is in contrast to that which he issued about Times New Roman – the classic font synonymous with business communications and systems.  

“It’s telegraphing that you didn’t put any thought into the typeface that you selected,” he said. “It’s like putting on sweatpants.”

The owner of Brian Hoff Design also used his interview to poke fun at Comic Sans. He said it should never be seen on a CV “unless you are applying to clown college.”

Flowery and italicised fonts used by wedding planners and invitation templates were similarly cautioned against for CV writing, as were those with overly tall or fanciful letters.