The point is that that still is pretty meaningless. You can enjoy a game of chess even if you are not very good at it, much like you can enjoy a game of golf for the aspect of walking around in a well-kept park and having a chat, and see some improvement in your handicap over time.

I would not expect someone who puts chess on a resume to play competitively, which is a whole different beast.

Sure, only like 100 top GMs can play competitively, but there are over 1000 GMs who do it as a hobby while they work at Google, Microsoft or any other company.

But it's impossible to play chess or golf at even the most leisurely level without improving at least a little, as you say with handicap. I'm sure an expert can tell the difference between an earnest hobbyist and someone who learnt the rules as a child but hasn't played since.