What is a document that many employers use to identify worker applicants' qualifications for employment?

A résumé is a document that summarizes an applicant's work experience, education, skills, and other qualifications pertinent to a specific job or employment opportunity. Employers typically use résumés as a primary tool to assess whether candidates meet the job requirements and to compare applicants based on their qualifications. The résumé serves as a concise overview that highlights an individual's most relevant achievements and is often the first impression an employer has of a candidate.

In contrast, while an application form gathers structured data directly from the candidates and can include various questions about their background, it may not encapsulate the candidate's skills and experiences as effectively as a résumé. A portfolio is a collection of work samples often used in creative fields to showcase a candidate's skills in a practical format, but it may not be as universally accepted across all industries as a résumé. An employment portfolio, too, generally reflects a broader range of achievements and can include various documents, making it more comprehensive than a résumé, but perhaps less focused for initial job applications. Thus, the résumé stands out as the standard document for summarizing qualifications in a job search.