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Level Up Your Accessibility Game: Tips and Resources for Hiring an Accessibility Pro

If you or your organization are looking to hire an accessibility professional, you’ll need to have a solid understanding of your organization's accessibility goals to choose a candidate with the appropriate expertise.

This blog post offers some assistance in navigating the process. We'll look at key considerations, from understanding your needs to tips on writing and posting a well-crafted job description.

Define Your Needs

What level of technical expertise do you need? 

Not all accessibility experts have the same skill set. Some specialize in technical skills, some in testing skills, and some in both. Some specialize in training, and some are specialists in accessible documents. Some specialize in several accessibility-specific skills. Some have one certification, and some have several. 

If you are not familiar with the different skill sets of an accessibility professional, here are a few examples.

  • Understanding WCAG: They're fluent in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – the international standards for digital accessibility.

  • Accessibility Audits: They meticulously evaluate websites, identifying and recommending solutions for accessibility barriers.

  • Technical Expertise: They possess a strong understanding of HTML, Cascading Styles Sheets, and other coding languages, which allows them to pinpoint and fix accessibility issues within the code.

  • Assistive Technologies: They're familiar with screen readers, voice recognition software, and other tools used by people with disabilities.

  • Communication Skills: They can bridge the gap between technical jargon and plain English, translating complex issues into actionable plans.

Do you need someone with experience in your specific industry?

If you need someone who understands the intricacies of the banking industry, online retail sales, or even higher education, here are a few tips for defining those industry-specific skills:

  • Make a list of all the technical skills and knowledge bases unique to your industry, specifically your organization's function in that industry. Include software, regulations, certifications, and even specific jargon.

  • Prioritize that list in order of importance. Which items are required, and which are preferred? This will be very helpful when structuring the job description.

Do you need an in-house, full-time employee, a consultant / independent contractor, or a one-time audit?

To help answer that question, you’ll need to answer these two questions:

  • Is it a one-time project or an ongoing commitment?
    • When determining whether a project is a one-time or a full-time commitment, remember that "one-time projects" may need to be repeated more than once.

  • What’s your salary budget for a consultant or fulltime employee? There are a couple of items to consider when determining your budget for a project or ongoing commitment.

Write the Job Description & Post it

Now that you better understand accessibility roles, your timeline, and your budget, it's time to write that job description. Here are a few tips to help make that easier. In clear, concise language:

  • Ensure you are explicit about the level of website accessibility compliance your organization is striving for, such as WCAG 2.1, AA.

  • If you expect accessibility certifications from your applicants, state whether that is required or preferred.

  • Don't just list skills; describe how those skills will be used. Will this individual be auditing, testing, remediating, etc., or combining several skill sets?

  • Separate hard and soft skills. Some of the soft skills accessibility professionals need include disability sensitivity, disability etiquette, and advocacy skills.

  • Make your job posting accessible. This article on LinkedIn has tips on creating an equal opportunity for everyone to apply.

Publish your job description to trusted, accessible job posting platforms. Look at accessibility-specific job boards and organizations, such as The International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) Job Board and a11yjobs.com.

When interviewing candidates, consider providing a sample website for them to audit or give them a few example challenges from your website. Ask them to explain why it is a barrier, what disability would be most affected, and what steps to take to remediate it. 

Finding the right website accessibility professional for your organization can seem intimidating. This brief to-do post and the list of resources below will help you find the best fit.

Resources

Maggie Vaughan, CPACC
Content Marketing Practitioner
DubBot