Have you ever visited a website or picked up a flyer only to be immediately put off by the font, layout, or clashing colours?
You think to yourself, “I don’t care what they’re selling—this is too painful to look at.”
It’s a common reaction. We're surrounded by advertising and visual content all day, and poorly designed materials often go ignored, or worse, trigger negative impressions.
And yet, when it comes to one of the most important documents in your career—your CV—many candidates give very little thought to how it looks.
If you're applying for jobs in Dubai, this is particularly important. First impressions matter—even on paper.
In Dubai, CVs are often cluttered, inconsistent, and visually overwhelming. It’s not uncommon to see CVs with five or more fonts, multiple colours, embedded graphics, borders, shading, or even photos, all jammed onto a single page.
While these elements might be added with the intention of standing out, they often have the opposite effect. Recruiters and hiring managers see these CVs as unprofessional and difficult to read. In many cases, these documents are dismissed before the recruiter even reaches the second paragraph.
In a competitive market like Dubai, where hundreds of CVs are received for every job posting, your CV must be clean, consistent, and polished if you want to stand out for the right reasons.
A professional-looking CV immediately communicates that you're a serious candidate who understands business standards, presentation, and attention to detail.
To put it simply: if you want your CV to represent you as a high-calibre professional who produces high-quality work, you must choose the right font.
As a professional CV Writer, I’ve reviewed thousands of CVs and worked with job seekers from around the world—including many applying for roles in Dubai. Over time, I’ve found that certain fonts consistently outperform others when it comes to presentation, clarity, and tone.
• Calibri: Modern, no-nonsense, and easy to read. It’s slightly narrower than other fonts, helping you include more content without compromising on clarity.
• Helvetica: Clean and minimalist, Helvetica is ideal for sleek CVs with a contemporary feel. Great for mid-senior roles and international organisations.
• Garamond: A serif font with classic appeal. More elegant than Times New Roman, Garamond works well for candidates in traditional or professional sectors (such as law, education, or publishing).
• Century Gothic: A rounded, modern typeface that works beautifully for headings. However, avoid using it for body text as it may reduce readability over longer paragraphs.
When writing your Dubai CV, the font size is just as important as the font style.
If the font is too large, your content may appear sparse or disorganised. Too small, and your CV becomes difficult to read and may tempt you to include unnecessary detail.
• Main body text: 10, 10.5 or 11 pt
• Section headings: 12 or 13 pt (bold or slightly larger for clarity)
• Name/Header: 14–16 pt (to draw attention, but keep it tasteful)
Consistency in font size throughout your CV is key to maintaining a clean and professional layout.
You may believe that recruiters only care about what your CV says, not how it looks. And while content is undoubtedly crucial, presentation significantly influences how your content is received.
• Encourages recruiters to spend more time reviewing your profile
• Makes it easier for Dubai recruiters to scan and extract key information
• Communicates a strong sense of professionalism, organisation, and clarity
• Sets you apart from other candidates using over-designed or poorly structured documents
In a city like Dubai, where global competition is fierce and first impressions are formed in seconds, a clean and elegant CV design can be the edge you need.
When it comes to your CV, small design choices can have a big impact. In Dubai’s competitive job market, your CV is more than just a document—it’s a reflection of your personal brand.
Choose fonts that are easy to read, keep your layout consistent, and avoid unnecessary visual distractions.
Taking the time to present a professional, well-crafted CV could be the difference between getting a call back or getting overlooked.
If you haven’t yet chosen a CV template, consider downloading one of ours—all are built with readability, elegance, and professional presentation in mind.
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