Online job portals are often the central hub of company hiring activities. They’re where prospective candidates get to know an organization, view available jobs, and submit applications. But these portals should be designed to serve everyone, including applicants with disabilities.
Roughly 27% of adults in the United States have a disability, representing a significant part of the workforce. But many career websites aren't built with this group in mind, creating hurdles that limit their access and participation. By doing so, businesses miss out on a vast pool of potential talent, which is a loss in itself.
On top of that, these accessibility issues could also lead to legal complications under laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Therefore, ensuring that your online job portal is accessible to all isn't just an astute idea – it's a legal necessity.
How to make your job portal more accessible
Job portal accessibility increases reach, which can help you meet your hiring goals. Here are some useful tips and insights that will help make your online job portal more accessible.
Optimize site navigation
Online navigation can prove challenging for those who rely on screen readers, which are tools that convert text into spoken words or Braille. When a job portal is not coded with non-visual navigation in mind, these users often find it difficult to browse or apply for jobs.
The structure of your job portal should incorporate specific elements that aid non-visual navigation. Use headers to define sections, titles to label pages, and lists to group related items. These elements should be descriptive and consistent across your site, so a screen reader can correctly interpret and relay the content to the user.
Implement keyboard-only navigation
Not everyone can use a mouse to navigate websites. Some with muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, or lost or damaged limbs, for example, might rely solely on their keyboards. That’s why all features of your job portal must be accessible using only a keyboard.
The tab key is commonly used for navigation. Users should be able to move forward through interactive elements like links, buttons, and form fields using tab and backward using shift + tab. The tab order should also be logical, which usually means following the visual order of elements on the page. During testing, make sure your job portal is free of keyboard traps, as this can prevent users from leaving that part of the site.
Extend timeout periods
Timed activities or tests on your job portal may inadvertently exclude candidates who need more time due to a disability. For instance, someone with arthritis or multiple sclerosis may take longer to fill out a form, or someone with dyslexia might need additional time to comprehend a question.
So, consider either eliminating timeout periods or extending them significantly. Providing additional time to complete tasks ensures that your website is not inadvertently filtering out candidates based on their speed of interaction with the portal.
Improve color contrast
Color contrast in an online job portal is especially important for people with color blindness or low vision. These users may struggle to differentiate between the text and the background or find it hard to interpret information displayed in certain color combinations.
You could use digital tools such as the Chromatic Vision Simulator or VisionSim to help you see your website through the eyes of visually-impaired users so you can adjust your color choices accordingly. By providing sufficient contrast between your text and its background, your content will be more readable and accessible to everyone.
Provide captions and transcripts for videos
Videos are increasingly common on job portals nowadays, as they offer a dynamic way to share information about the company and available roles. With that said, without captions and transcripts, these videos can be inaccessible to people who have difficulty hearing.
In addition to accurately reflecting spoken content, closed captions and transcripts should detail important non-verbal cues, like meaningful sound effects or relevant on-screen action. This can also boost SEO, improve its visibility, and may help your portal rank higher in search engine results.
Design for different zoom levels
Remember, not everyone will view your portal at the same browser size or zoom level. People with low vision might zoom in for a closer look, while those using mobile devices will be viewing on a smaller screen. Make sure your website is responsive so that it can adapt to different screen sizes without losing functionality. Also, test your portal at up to 200% zoom to confirm that all content remains accessible and no crucial information is lost off the edges of the screen.
Wrapping it up
Job portals are often the first point of contact between an organization and potential employees. An inaccessible job portal could send a signal that your organization does not value inclusivity or diversity, which could deter talented individuals from applying.
An accessible job portal, on the other hand, can enhance your company's reputation as a desirable place to work, and help you attract a wider pool of talented candidates. This can lead to a more diverse workforce, which is proven to boost creativity, problem-solving, and business performance.
In business, they often use the words of British physicist and mathematician William Thomson Kelvin, “What is not measured is often not improved.” When you apply this logic to the concept of accessibility for career websites, it's easy to see why making them more accessible is not only a smart business move but also an ethical one.
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