The short answer: the most useful resume symbols are the simple ones — the bullet • for lists, the vertical bar | or middle dot · to separate contact details, an en dash – for date ranges, and a check ✓ for highlights. They look clean and, just as important, stay readable by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Copy the set below.
First: keep it ATS-safe
Most resumes pass through an applicant tracking system before a human sees them, and ATS software can mangle or drop decorative characters. So:
- Safe: standard Unicode symbols — • | · – ✓. These are widely supported and parse cleanly.
- Risky: colored emoji (📞 📧 📍), fancy dingbat icons, and symbol “fonts”. They can turn into boxes, question marks or nothing — and they don’t help keyword matching.
Put the important facts (phone, email) in plain text, and use symbols to organize, not to replace words.
Bullets for your experience
The standard • bullet is the safe, professional choice for listing achievements. Alternatives like ▪, ‣, ◦ or an en dash – work too — just pick one and stay consistent through the whole document. (How to type a bullet point.)
Separators for your contact line
Rather than spreading contact details across several lines, separate them inline:
Jane Doe · New York, NY · [email protected] · (555) 123-4567
Use a middle dot ·, a vertical bar |, or a bullet • as the divider, with a space on each side.
Dashes for dates and ranges
Use an en dash – (not a hyphen) for date ranges: 2021–2024, Jun–Aug 2023. It’s the correct typographic choice and looks polished. (How to type an en or em dash.)
Checks, stars & arrows (use sparingly)
- ✓ can flag a key skill or certification.
- ★ / ☆ sometimes show skill ratings — but ATS can’t interpret them, so also state the level in words.
- → occasionally shows a result (“cut costs → saved 20%”).
A little goes a long way; too many symbols read as clutter.
How to type them
| Symbol | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| • | Alt + 0149 | Option + 8 |
| – | Alt + 0150 | Option + hyphen |
| · | Alt + 0183 | Shift + Option + 9 |
| ✓ | 2713 → Alt + X | copy |
| ★ | 2605 → Alt + X | copy |
Or just copy them from the strip above.
Contact “icons” — proceed with caution
Text dingbats like ☎ ✉ ⌂ exist, but many are hit-or-miss across fonts and ATS, and can print as boxes. A labeled approach is safer: “Phone:”, “Email:”, “LinkedIn:”. Save decorative icons for a PDF design version you send straight to a human, and keep a clean, symbol-light version for online applications.
Section headers and dividers
To split sections, use your editor’s border or horizontal-line tool rather than typing rows of ─ or ═ characters, which an ATS may read as gibberish. Keep section headers as bold text (“Experience”, “Education”) rather than wrapping them in symbols, so parsers recognize them and file your details under the right heading.
Examples
Jane Doe | [email protected] | (555) 123-4567 · a • bulleted achievement list · “2021–2024” date ranges · “✓ Certified Project Manager”.
Troubleshooting
- Symbols became boxes or question marks. The reader’s font or ATS lacks them — switch to standard symbols and keep a plain-text version.
- My emoji icons disappeared in the ATS. Expected; use text labels instead.
- Bullets look inconsistent. You mixed styles — find & replace them all to a single • .
Frequently Asked Questions
What symbols should I use on a resume?
Keep your resume simple and professional. Commonly used symbols include:
• for bullet points
| (vertical bar) or · (middle dot) to separate contact details
– (en dash) for date ranges
✓ to highlight achievements or key points
Are symbols and emoji safe for applicant tracking systems?
Standard Unicode symbols such as •, |, ·, and – are generally handled well by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Decorative emoji and icon fonts are less reliable and may be ignored or displayed incorrectly, so it’s best to avoid them and keep important information in plain text.
How do I separate contact info on a resume?
Use a middle dot (·), vertical bar (|), or bullet (•) with a space on each side to separate items. For example:
Name · Location · Email · Phone
What is the best bullet point for a resume?
The standard bullet (•) is the safest and most professional choice. You can type it with Alt + 0149 on Windows or Option + 8 on a Mac. Use the same bullet style consistently throughout your resume.
Should I use star ratings for skills?
You can use ★ and ☆ to show skill levels, but applicant tracking systems cannot reliably interpret them. If you use star ratings, also describe your proficiency in words, such as Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced.
Why do my resume symbols turn into boxes or question marks?
This usually happens because the reader’s font, applicant tracking system, or PDF viewer does not support the symbol. Use common Unicode symbols, choose widely supported fonts, and keep a plain-text version of your resume for online applications.
Recap
Stick to simple, ATS-safe symbols: • for bullets, | or · to separate contact info, – for date ranges, and ✓ for highlights. Keep emoji and decorative icons for a human-only PDF, and always put key details in plain text.
Written by Igor R. Tested on Windows 11, macOS, and in Microsoft 365 and Google Docs. Last updated June 2026. Code points follow the Unicode Standard.