In short
For most New Zealand jobseekers, the best font for CV writing is one that is clean, professional and easy to read on screen. Arial, Georgia, Times and Garamond are all strong options, with Arial and Georgia often being the safest choices for modern CVs.
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For New Zealand jobseekers, every detail on a CV matters, and choosing the best font for CV success is one of those small decisions that can make a strong first impression.
Before you get the chance to impress in an interview, your resume needs to capture a hiring manager’s attention quickly and confidently. Your experience, skills and achievements will always matter most, but presentation still plays an important supporting role. A polished, easy-to-read CV shows professionalism, care and good judgement from the very first glance.
That is why your font choice deserves real thought. It should work just as hard as the structure, length and content of your resume. In the same way you would not lead with an “Activities and Interests” section or let your CV run to five pages, you should choose a font that feels clear, modern and professional.
The best font for CV writing in New Zealand is one that helps your application look clean, readable and credible, while making it easy for employers to focus on what matters most: your value as a candidate. With a career spanning multiple countries, Gareth has more than twenty years of experience in human capital, executive search, and recruitment. He partners with mid-market to enterprise organisations - many of them private equity-backed or undergoing significant change - to place senior leaders who can drive growth, lead through complexity, and deliver measurable impact.
Ryan Robson, Practice Director at Robert Half in the South Island, is a recruitment leader with close to a decade of experience helping organisations across New Zealand build high-performing teams. He has reviewed countless resumes and easily spot a well-curated resume.
When choosing the best font for CV writing, Ryan says the goal is simple: “Make your experience easy to take in and hard to overlook”.
A strong resume font should be:
Easy on the eyes
Your CV should feel effortless to read. A good font reduces strain, improves clarity, and helps recruiters quickly pick up the information that matters most. That is especially important today, as most CVs are first reviewed on a screen rather than on paper.
Clear in every format
The best resume fonts stay sharp and professional, whether they are used in regular, bold, or italic text. They should not look awkward, overly playful, or distorted at smaller sizes. Consistency matters because every part of your CV should look polished and intentional.
Non-distracting
Your font should support your message, not compete with it. Hiring managers should notice your skills, achievements, and experience, not be thrown off by a font that feels too decorative or hard to read. Just like a typo, the wrong font can take attention away from what you are really trying to show, which is why you are the right person for the role.
Related: What to put in your CV
The best font for your CV
Choosing the best font for CV writing might seem like a small detail, but the right one will quietly make your CV feel clear, polished and easy to trust.
Here are some of the best fonts to consider for New Zealand jobseekers:
1. Arial
Arial is one of the safest options for a CV. It is clean, familiar and easy to read, which makes it a dependable choice if you want a simple, professional look.
2. Times
If you like a more traditional style, Times can work well. Compared with Times New Roman, it feels a little less cramped and can be easier to read on screen, especially at smaller sizes.
3. Georgia
Georgia is a strong option if you want your CV to feel polished but still modern. It was designed for screen reading, so it is both attractive and easy to scan — ideal for online applications.
4. Garamond
Garamond brings a sense of understated elegance. It looks refined without being overdone, and it works beautifully both in print and on screen.
Ryan says, “When choosing the best font for CV use, focus on readability, professionalism and simplicity. A well-chosen font helps your CV feel more confident and helps employers and recruiters focus on what matters most, you and your skills.”
The best font size for a CV
“From a recruiter’s perspective, font size should never make us work to read your CV. Around 10 to 12 points for body text is usually the sweet spot as it is small enough to keep your CV concise, but large enough to feel clear, professional and easy to scan. If the text is too small, important information can be missed. If it is too large, the CV can look padded out or less polished. The goal is to make your experience easy to absorb quickly, because recruiters are often reviewing a high volume of applications and strong readability always helps,” says Ryan.
The best font for ATS
Most employers will first view your CV on a screen, and some may scan it using applicant tracking systems (ATS). This is another reason why your font should be standard, readable and easy for software to process. Clean fonts like Arial, Georgia and Times are generally safer choices than unusual or heavily stylised fonts.
An ATS is designed to scan your CV and identify key details such as your work history, skills, qualifications and job titles. If your font is too decorative or inconsistent, it can create unnecessary formatting issues and make your CV harder to process accurately. While the content of your CV matters most, presentation still plays an important supporting role.
Ryan concludes by reminding jobseekers that “The best font for ATS is one that helps both software and hiring managers read your CV with ease. A font that works well online supports clarity, protects your formatting and keeps the focus on your experience, skills and suitability for the role.”
Related: What not to include in your CV
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best font size for a CV?
In most cases, body text should be between 10 and 12 point, with headings slightly larger at 12 to 14 point. Your CV should feel easy to scan, not cramped or oversized.
Is Arial a good font for a resume?
Yes, Arial is a good font for a resume. It is clean, professional and easy to read, which makes it a safe choice for most job applications.
Is Times New Roman outdated for a CV?
Not necessarily. Times New Roman is still professional and readable, but it can feel more traditional than modern alternatives like Times, Arial or Georgia.
What font should I avoid on a resume?
Avoid overly decorative, playful or unusual fonts such as Comic Sans, Papyrus or script-style typefaces. These can distract from your skills and make your application harder to read.
Should a CV use the same font throughout?
Yes, a CV should usually use the same font throughout. Keeping one consistent font helps your CV look polished, professional and easy to read. You can create contrast with bold text, italics or slightly larger headings, but changing fonts too often can make your CV look messy or distracting.
Should your CV font be ATS-friendly?
Yes. Many employers now review CVs digitally, and some use software to scan applications before a person reads them. That is why it is safest to use standard, professional fonts like Arial, Georgia, Times or Garamond. They are easy to read on screen and less likely to cause formatting issues.
