In a perfect world, no one would need a resume. The candidates most suited to a particular job would simply be summoned forth to interview, based on their reputation and word of mouth referral. Employers would carefully make their hiring decisions based on the candidates verbal account of their past performance, without regard to any kind of written documentation. And companies would grow and prosper, having selected only the best and brightest from a large pool of qualified talent. Right.

And now the reality: