Can You Use Ampersand In Resume

Can you use ampersands in your resume? It's a surprisingly common question, and honestly, not something people usually think about until they're tweaking the last details of formatting. But here's the deal: it depends.

Let me explain. Ampersands (&) are perfectly fine in certain situations, but they can also trip up your resume’s readability if you’re not careful. For example, if you're writing the name of a company that's officially listed with an ampersand, like Procter & Gamble, then absolutely use it. That’s their name, and changing it would just look odd. Plus, it shows you’ve paid attention to details.

But what about places where you’d use "and" instead? Like in a list of skills: "Project Management & Team Leadership. " Technically, you could use the ampersand here, but it might make your resume look less professional depending on the style you’ve gone for. Formal resumes generally stick to spelling out "and, " while more modern, graphic-heavy resumes might lean into ampersands for their design appeal. It’s kind of a judgment call.

The readability factor

Here’s what most people forget. A resume has to be scannable. Recruiters don’t read every word, they skim. And ampersands can sometimes make sections harder to skim quickly. If your resume is already on the busy side, swapping all the "and"s for "&"s might clutter things up visually. It’s one of those subtle design things that can work against you.

Also, keep fonts in mind. Not all fonts handle ampersands well. In some cases, they can look squished or overly decorative, especially in older or fancier typefaces. If you’re using a classic font like Times New Roman, the ampersand might actually look out of place. But in sans-serif options like Arial or Calibri, it can blend better.

Consistency counts

This is probably the most important part. If you’re going to use ampersands, be consistent. Nothing says "I didn’t proofread" like swapping between "and" and "&" in the same resume. If you decide to use ampersands, stick with them throughout. If you’re unsure, it’s safer to just write "and" everywhere.

And one small note for ATS systems (Applicant Tracking Systems): while ampersands don’t usually mess with keyword searches, some ATS might interpret symbols differently depending on how the resume is uploaded. If you’re applying to a very technical role or one that involves a heavy ATS system, spelling out "and" might be the safer bet.

Does it impact first impressions?

Probably not as much as you think. Recruiters aren’t sitting there judging your ampersand use like it’s a test. But every little detail in your resume adds up to an overall impression. If your formatting feels scattered, or if your resume looks hard to read, even small things like ampersands can start to hurt you. It’s less about the ampersand itself and more about how polished the whole thing feels.

So, here’s my take. Use ampersands sparingly and intentionally. They’re not going to make or break your application, but they can be a slight distraction if done poorly. And honestly, if you're questioning whether they work in your resume, just spell out "and" instead. It’s the safer option, and you won’t lose sleep over it.

Are ampersands really worth obsessing over? Probably not, but it’s these little details that show you care about your application. And that, more than anything, is what gets noticed.