Job applications were at one time the primary method of screening candidates at most small businesses. Thanks to the resume, however, applications no longer figure as prominently in the hiring process, which isn’t surprising. One reason is that the typical resume today contains most of, if not all, the information normally asked for on a typical job application.

A bigger issue, however, is Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) legislation. EEO legislation now prohibits many questions that routinely appeared on traditional job applications years ago – items relating to gender, age, marital status and even birthplace. Some states also have specific regulations regarding what you can or cannot ask.