As virtual interviews continue to be the first point of contact with a potential new employee, it's important to ensure they are accessible to all candidates including those who rely on assistive technologies.
This article provides 10 actionable tips to help make virtual interviews digitally accessible meeting the needs of every candidate.
Online Interview Pain Points
In recent years, the rise of virtual interviews has become increasingly prominent as they provide unparalleled convenience, flexibility, efficiency, and cost savings.
Yet, you may wonder, "Is conducting easily accessible virtual interviews truly that simple?" The reality is, that although virtual interviews come with many benefits, they also present barriers.
Some of the most common ones are:
Technological Challenges
Technological challenges are a common pain point of virtual job interviews. Issues such as navigating the interview platform, not having compatible devices, internet connectivity problems, and more can become serious obstacles for recruiters and candidates.
Inaccessible Documents
Any interview materials that are not designed with web accessibility in mind can become a serious pain point for candidates with disabilities. For instance, not correctly tagged PDF files can be hard for visually impaired people to access. Likewise, the absence of alt-text for images or misuse of colours could create obstacles for candidates with colour blindness or cognitive impairments.
Communication Barriers
Another virtual interview pain point is communication barriers which can result in misunderstandings, frustration, and a less efficient interview process.
Communication barriers impact interviewers and candidates, making it hard to communicate clearly and evaluate candidates’ skills effectively.
Legal Guidelines To Make Virtual Interviews Accessible
Ensuring accessibility during virtual interviews is mandated by the UK Equality Act 2010. All employers must obey the UK accessibility laws and provide reasonable accommodations to prevent discrimination against candidates with disabilities.
Another key legal guideline is The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR), built on the Equality Act. It focuses on public institutions receiving UK government funding, including the NHS, local authorities, and schools. PSBAR mandates that websites and apps comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recognised worldwide.
But how can employers ensure they provide candidates with everything needed for digitally accessible online interviews?
The simplest way is to conduct an accessibility audit focused on UK legislation which helps ensure compliance and creates an inclusive interview process.
Tips for Accessible Online Interviews
After completing an accessibility audit, it's time to improve your online interviews with the following practical tips:
Use Accessible Video Conferencing Platforms
With the right video conferencing tools, online interviews are a huge blessing for recruiters and candidates.
It is important to choose video conferencing tools compatible with screen readers, support live captioning, and allow easy keyboard navigation.
Online video conferencing tools like Zoom, StarLeaf, Whereby, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet are known to be both reliable and accessible platforms to conduct online interviews.
Use Closed Captioning
Closed captions provide more than just basic subtitles - they are key to ensuring that video interviews are inclusive.
Using captions guarantees that all candidates, including those with hearing and cognitive impairments, receive the necessary support to engage in interviews actively.
Provide Accessible Documents
Ensure sharing documents with candidates in accessible formats compatible with assistive technologies. Choose PDF files with selectable text and Microsoft Word documents. Avoid sharing scanned images or documents.
Format the documents with headings and provide alternative text for images to ensure easy navigation.
To be sure the documents are accessible and easily readable, check compatibility and perform document remediation before sending.
Ask Questions with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Mind
While making your interview questionnaire, make sure the questions are with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in mind. Avoid inquiries regarding religion, family circumstances, or any other topics unrelated to the job.
Provide Technical Support
To create an accessible and stress-free virtual interview for everyone, provide the necessary technical support to candidates. Start by offering a pre-interview guide to assist candidates in testing their audio, video, and internet connection. Additionally, provide instructions on navigating the platform, including accessibility features like closed captions.
Offer Multiple Communication Options
People with disabilities need proper and detailed communication more than anyone else. Provide candidates with multiple communication options. Ideally, offer them a choice between video, phone, or text-based chat based on their needs or preferences.
Additionally, offer sign language interpreters, live captioning, or email follow-ups.
Reduce Background Noise and Distractions
An accessible and effective virtual interview should be held in a quiet environment. Be sure there is no background noise in your surroundings, like phones ringing or people having conversations nearby. Use headphones with a built-in microphone for better sound quality and to explore the option of turning on noise-cancellation features on your video platform.
Be Flexible With Time
People with disabilities may require more flexibility from your side. Allow extra response time for candidates who rely on assistive technologies or interpreters. Offer breaks during longer interviews to maintain focus and be patient with technical delays.
Provide Training for Interviewers and Recruiters
Consistent accessibility training for interviewers and recruiters is one of the most important steps to making your virtual interviews digitally accessible. This way you can promote an accessible recruitment process from the initial virtual interview to the onboarding stage and beyond.
Gather Feedback
Don’t forget to gather feedback from candidates with disabilities through post-interviews or input requests to improve the online interview experience. Improving accessibility is a continual effort.
The Bottom Line
Proactive planning and following digital accessibility best practices can help you conduct virtual interviews that meet accessibility standards.
Analyze your current virtual interview procedures and improve them with the tips outlined in the article. This will result in both candidates with disabilities and all candidates being satisfied, and your recruitment process being more successful.
This piece was written and provided by David Gevorkian CEO and Founder of Be Accessible. David started Be Accessible because of his passion for website accessibility and ADA compliance. He spent much of his career working for financial institutions creating websites and mobile applications. He earned his Master’s in Business Administration from Salve Regina University in Rhode Island. David is an advocate for creating web interfaces usable by all people.
