To build inclusive products, the team needs people who have experience with accessibility processes.
In order to assess that experience, interviewers must be comfortable talking about accessibility with candidates. Since accessibility as a skill has not been a major focus in the industry until recently, the candidate may only have minimal experience with best practices.
When interviewing candidates, the individuals should have a basic knowledge of accessibility and why it’s important, at a minimum. This would include recognizing how their role fits into the process and understanding that accessibility isn’t the responsibility of one individual or role but of everyone involved in the product development lifecycle. While more expertise is great, advanced knowledge and techniques can be learned over time with training.
It’s not safe to assume that all candidates with certifications from reputable organizations have more knowledge than someone who is not certified. It is wise to evaluate the person’s abilities through the lens of the role they are interviewing for.
Hiring can have a compounding effect—the folks you hire will likely also become involved in hiring. By omitting accessibility from the interview process, you put the organization at risk of diminishing its capability to build inclusive products.
How We Know We’re Doing This
- Our interviewers are able to have robust conversations about accessibility with candidates
- Our job descriptions for any user-facing role describe specific accessibility skills required
- Our departments are actively seeking out accessibility as a skill
How We Know We’re Coming up Short
- Our interviewers can ask basic questions about accessibility, but have difficulty asking follow-up questions
- Our job descriptions include vague accessibility requirements, but even those are often left off of postings for content design, research, or product