Searching for Accessibility Jobs

For the better part of 2025, I was searching for a new job. I know how discouraging and confusing job searching is, especially in the age of AI.  In my previous post, I explained that you don’t need JavaScript experience in order to be an accessibility auditor.  Today, let’s discuss some tips to help you focus your search. 

Use LinkedIn Wisely

If you have a wide network, a post indicating you’re looking for work can boost your reach.  Many connections will repost to their network and advocate for you.  And of course, working your contacts through DMs is huge.

But don’t waste time with LinkedIn job alerts and postings.  It’s impossible to know which jobs are real and which ones are “ghost” positions, meaning they’re just there for data gathering purposes.  Furthermore, even if you manage to spot a few good jobs, you’re competing against legions of other folks who are desperate and looking for work.  LinkedIn’s Easy Apply feature makes applying too easy: everyone is applying for everything, making it impossible for both job seekers and hiring managers alike to match candidates with appropriate roles.  Don’t waste your time.

Beware of Ghost Recruiters

Sadly, just as the market is flooded with ghost positions, we’re also up against ghost recruiters.  These are people who track you down to say they’re eager to help you find a job and request your resume.  And then you never hear from them again.  I don’t know what their game is, but it’s not helpful to job seekers.  Recruiters are a great resource, but do a little homework on the person and their org before giving out your info.

Where to Find Decent Accessibility Jobs

Your best resource is A11yJobs.com.  This curated job board focuses on accessibility jobs of all types, including auditors, project managers, and developers.  The site recently got an overhaul with a search function and reliable email newsletter, which is a welcome upgrade from the previous routine of simply checking the site daily for new posts.

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

A term I learned last year is Application Tracking System, or ATS.  This is the official term for job application portals.  I read an interesting article titled Do ATS Dream of Resume Formatting?, in which author David Farkas offers tips on optimizing your resume for machine-readable intake systems.  Surprisingly, formatting matters: you might unknowingly disqualify yourself if you use the pipe symbol or apostrophes in your dates.

A recruiter on the online a11y-slack community also advised mentioning the tools you use in your work multiple times in your resume.  Be repetitive and be specific.  If you use NVDA, list that as a tool in each job entry: don’t just say “screen reader” or “assistive technology”.

When you finalize your resume, do not submit a PDF unless you’re confident it is accessible.  PDF accessibility is complicated, and you cannot learn it by skimming an article online.  Stick with Word, and follow the basic accessibility best practices (a great resource is Microsoft Word 365 Basic Authoring and Testing Guide by Section508gov).  I’ve heard of folks on hiring committees who immediately disqualify resumes that are not accessible.  It may sound harsh—especially if you’re applying to a position that does not require document accessibility—but when hiring managers receive 1,000 applications (not an exaggeration!), they have to make deep cuts fast.

Include Examples of Your Work

Whenever possible, be sure to include an example of your work with your application.  If you’re applying for a document accessibility position, provide Word, PPT, and PDF docs to bolster your portfolio.  If you’re applying for an auditing position, include a brief audit report of a webpage.  The report doesn’t need to be complete: even a dozen or so entries will demonstrate that you can identify defects, explain the impact on users, and suggest remediation strategies. 

Consider a Contract or Short-Term Position

I’ve found that the majority of a11y jobs are short-term: 6-12 months.  Many of them specifically say “with potential for extension,” apparently to entice candidates into believing it will turn into something permanent.  My gut feeling is that these positions are created by folks who don’t understand that a11y work is ongoing and just want to meet a deadline (such as ADA Title II, which was recently extended). 

However, work is work. While you’re waiting for your dream job, a contract position can tide you over and provide even more experience to add to your resume.

Additional Suggestions

Please comment below if you have additional suggestions to help job seekers!