--- title: "Job Searching while Blind: Common Accessibility Challenges" description: From resume to interview, job searching is extra challenging if companies overlook accessibility. Read a NDEAM blog from a blind, screen reader user. image: https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/NDEAM%20Poster.png --- - [skip to menu](https://blog.usablenet.com/job-searching-while-blind-common-accessibility-challenges#nav) - [skip to content](https://blog.usablenet.com/job-searching-while-blind-common-accessibility-challenges#main-content) - [skip to footer](https://blog.usablenet.com/job-searching-while-blind-common-accessibility-challenges#footer) Test the accessibility of your website for free! Try UsableNet AQA. 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[Get Help with EN 301 549 Compliance](https://info.usablenet.com/eaa-en-301-549-compliance?__hstc=181257784.2243d86205d8f41e204908d6f6578263.1725908600455.1736198093211.1736205902814.174&__hssc=181257784.1.1736205902814&__hsfp=3011104808) - Who We Serve ## Industry [E-commerce and Consumer Goods](https://info.usablenet.com/industries-e-commerce-consumer-goods) [Food Service and Hospitality](https://info.usablenet.com/-industries-food-service-hospitality) [Banking and Financial Services](https://info.usablenet.com/industries-financial-services) [Healthcare](https://info.usablenet.com/industries-healthcare) [Technology and Business Services](https://info.usablenet.com/-industries-technology-and-business-services) [Public Sector and Education](https://info.usablenet.com/industries-public-sector-and-education) ## Compliance [Canadian Accessibility Laws](https://info.usablenet.com/compliance-canada) [European Accessibility Laws](https://info.usablenet.com/compliance-europe) [Other International Accessibility](https://info.usablenet.com/compliance-international) [United States Accessibility Laws](https://info.usablenet.com/compliance-united-states) 2026 Midyear report on digital accessibility lawsuits in the US [Download Now](https://info.usablenet.com/2026-midyear-report) - [Pricing](https://usablenet.com/pricing) - [Blog](https://blog.usablenet.com/) - [About Us](https://usablenet.com/about-us) [Get a Demo](https://info.usablenet.com/contact) # Job Searching while Blind: Common Accessibility Challenges **By** [Michael Taylor](https://blog.usablenet.com/author/michael-taylor) on Oct 10, 2023 **Topics:** [User Experience](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/user-experience) 0 Comments - - - ![Collage of arrows in various colors pointing forward, with images of disabled people at work. The text reads “Advancing Access & Equity, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Celebrating 50 years of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.” Also #NDEAM, #RehabAct50 and dol.gov/ODEP.](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/NDEAM%20Poster.png) October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I think it is the perfect time to discuss the accessibility of the job application process. In most industries, online forms have become the preferred job application method. Unfortunately for assistive technology users, the online application process often contains significant accessibility shortcomings that serve as practical barriers to successfully completing the application. As someone who has recently worked with many of these forms, I have experienced such challenges firsthand. In the coming sections, I will discuss my observations. As always, I will be exclusively covering screen reader accessibility. ### Difficulty Uploading A Resume Almost every online job application requires the user to upload a copy of their resume. The first step is to select the resume document from the computer’s file system. This first step usually does not present any accessibility challenges. The problems begin once the file has finished uploading. Many online applications will analyze the text in the resume and attempt to fill in a proprietary resume form with a different structure from the original file. At this point, the page will usually display drop-down menus and text fields containing bits and pieces of information from the original resume document. The main issue with this is that the conversion often lacks accuracy. For example, I once had the software put my college education as volunteer experience and my past employment under the “School Or Education Institution 1” heading. At this point, the user is left to try and clean up the mess by figuring out if everything is in the correct category and moving around what has been misplaced. The problem is that navigating through and around the various text fields is often not a screen reader-accessible process. Cursor focus will sometimes jump around randomly and refuse to lock on to a specific area of the page. The screen reader often does not read the content of specific text fields aloud. Standard text navigation features such as moving by letter, word, or sentence and copy and paste commands rarely work correctly. As a result, the user is left with a clunky, unusable mess that was once a well-formatted and accessible resume. I recently added my resume to a site designed to match qualified job seekers with disabilities with relevant jobs and ran into this exact resume upload issue, which I find ironic. At this point, it is impossible to proceed without the help of a sighted person. Flaws like these make it difficult for people like me to apply for online jobs independently. When I have encountered accessible digital job applications, the entire resume document is generally uploaded as a hidden file, which eliminates the need to try and edit some proprietary resume form. The reviewer will see my resume in the exact Word document format in which it was created. ### Challenges With Video Interviews Several stages of the online job application process may require some sort of video interview. The main problem is that many companies and institutions utilize proprietary video conferencing software instead of a major one such as Zoom or Google Meet. Even if one of the leading platforms is used, it is often a skinned version that runs through a browser window instead of through the video conferencing software’s first-party application. Unless these video interviews are conducted through a platform with proven accessibility, bugs will likely lead to a bad experience for screen reader users. In college, I had a virtual interview scheduled via Zoom. However, instead of opening the accessible Zoom application, the link from the college opened a blank web page on the school’s site with an embedded Zoom window. This page lacked proper screen reader accessibility. By far the most impactful issue was that the meeting controls such as “Mute/Unmute” and “Camera On/Off” was not screen reader detectable or actionable. Upon meeting launch, I was muted and had no way to turn on my microphone. Furthermore, the button for the text chat was not labeled, so I could not send a message reporting that I could not unmute my microphone. I was compelled to force close the meeting window. I have had similar issues over the years with other video conferences that are handled through a browser window. Companies and institutions that use online job applications need to ensure that the video conferencing software is accessible to everyone. ### Workplace Accommodations I and many other people with disabilities require certain accommodations to succeed in a professional environment. Unfortunately, most online applications do not include a section for accommodations. The disability disclosure only asks for the nature of the disability. It would be beneficial if this section of the digital application allowed the user to request accommodations that will enable that person to bridge the gap and maximize their potential. Requesting accommodations during a video interview can be daunting. Many employers simply do not understand the nature of technology-related accommodations. They sometimes say they want to help but lack the knowledge and/or resources to do so effectively. There is sometimes resistance to allowing employees with disabilities to use alternate computer systems such as a Mac instead of a Windows machine. Nothing is more frustrating than knowing that I have the qualifications and skills to thrive in a job setting but being held back by accessibility problems and a lack of appropriate accommodations. While online job applications are most definitely the way of the future, significant work must be done before they are usable by everyone, regardless of disability status. I hope my discussion of common challenges for screen reader users when completing digital job application forms will spark a push toward improved accessibility in this space. As we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, I sincerely hope more employers will hop aboard the accessibility train. Planning how to make the job application process accessible is critical for companies. If you want further guidance on planning your digital accessibility initiative- [Download the digital accessibility checklist for free here.](https://info.usablenet.com/digital-website-accessibility-checklist)  [![accessibility is a journey not a destination with illustration of people using website pages](https://blog.usablenet.com/hs-fs/hubfs/hub_generated/resized/ec631b91-275f-4664-b7bc-10f611d29425.png?width=628&height=200&name=ec631b91-275f-4664-b7bc-10f611d29425.png)](https://blog.usablenet.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=70fa4252-e3e6-4326-ad81-545ce92efe6a&signature=AAH58kGIanRuB8v7fB0B4whIRxQbb4cpOw&pageId=100625064707&placement_guid=9012c9d4-715c-459b-a4da-b0a22e2d3924&click=dab38238-ea4f-40c5-9355-70b86edff0fb&hsutk=6174c7ed4f0c3fa1042aa0acea370158&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.usablenet.com%2Fis-that-email-accessible-my-experience-as-a-blind-customer&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.usablenet.com%2F&portal_id=3280432&redirect_url=APefjpGQAm7wrr52m1g0G6vKCUssz3vxjvza5KBd-LiQs_90jUo6PbzOivuGccesq_ftaqn3TWBBCfiYSmsCW2ZRhZ2imHpd0aRrBHuR5S8M5v0Bwc-2kTOfHFd0OFJlGHxm-PNdh1nyzDHWgHb2Kbn3TbNPZjXdUHlx-FfMKIC09xKaKEenjPcAr_wg8XVpJJBFuFDeWRefOzboCVslkl6TpSHdhyADM1Qky-pje8EsYsAeS2zAmeamzPp0e1pH3-AGg_zhWl_kpTnJ9wWtzvk-Z4ZzmORaTFC_NTYbiceaM5GdAEtILUyB7tYRzpNgf5o4EaDBxGUU&__hstc=13979624.6174c7ed4f0c3fa1042aa0acea370158.1655917625950.1677524299872.1677602644542.505&__hssc=13979624.2.1677602644542&__hsfp=901111203&contentType=blog-post) *Editor's Note: This is a post by our guest contributor, Michael Taylor. This post reflects his opinions and experiences. [Read more about Michael and some other posts on his experience online here.](https://blog.usablenet.com/author/michael-taylor)* ![Michael Taylor](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Michael%20Taylor-4.jpg) ### [Michael Taylor](https://blog.usablenet.com/author/michael-taylor) I am a regular contributor to the UsableNet blog on digital accessibility. I develop, write, and edit content for the company blog related to my experiences with digital accessibility. I explore various areas of the digital world and combine my unique perspective as a screen reader user with my fun and creative writing style to deliver an informative and engaging final product. My goal is to advance the company's marketing initiatives while also raising awareness about digital accessibility and how it affects the lives of real-world assistive technology users. My work covers everything from common accessibility challenges to robust and accessible design to tutorial-like content for specific web elements. - - - - ### Related posts ![Hotel Website Accessibility: Check-in, Messaging, and In-Stay Barriers for Blind Guests](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Beachside-min.jpg) [Hotel Website Accessibility: Check-in, Messaging, and In-Stay Barriers for Blind Guests](https://blog.usablenet.com/hotel-website-accessibility-check-in-and-in-stay-barriers-for-blind-guests) Jul 15, 2026 ![Hotel Website Accessibility: Browsing Room Options](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Beachside-min.jpg) [Hotel Website Accessibility: Browsing Room Options](https://blog.usablenet.com/hotel-website-accessibility-browsing-room-options) Jul 14, 2026 ![Real Estate Website Accessibility: Property Listing Pages and Screen Readers](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Real%20Estate%20Website%20Accessibility%20-%20Property%20Listing%20Pages%20and%20Screen%20Readers%201200%20x%20630.png) [Real Estate Website Accessibility: Property Listing Pages and Screen Readers](https://blog.usablenet.com/real-estate-website-accessibility-property-listing-pages-and-screen-readers) Jul 7, 2026 ![Real Estate Website Accessibility: Search Filters and Screen Readers](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Real%20Estate%20Website%20Accessibility%20-%20Search%20Filters%20and%20Screen%20Readers%201200%20x%20630.png) [Real Estate Website Accessibility: Search Filters and Screen Readers](https://blog.usablenet.com/real-estate-website-accessibility-search-filters-and-screen-readers) Jun 30, 2026 ### Sign Up for the UsableNet Blog ### Recent Posts ![feature image](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Beachside-min.jpg) [Hotel Website Accessibility: Check-in, Messaging, and In-Stay Barriers for Blind Guests](https://blog.usablenet.com/hotel-website-accessibility-check-in-and-in-stay-barriers-for-blind-guests) Jul 15, 2026 ![feature image](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Beachside-min.jpg) [Hotel Website Accessibility: Browsing Room Options](https://blog.usablenet.com/hotel-website-accessibility-browsing-room-options) Jul 14, 2026 ![feature image](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Registration%20-%20Midyear%20Report.png) [Inside the 2026 Midyear Numbers: The ADA continues to be the ONLY true enforcement around](https://blog.usablenet.com/inside-the-2026-midyear-numbers-where-digital-accessibility-litigation-is-going) Jul 8, 2026 ### Posts by Topic - [Web Accessibility (311)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/web-accessibility) - [User Experience (113)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/user-experience) - [ADA Lawsuits (45)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/ada-lawsuits) - [ADA Website Compliance (38)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/ada-website-compliance) - [European Accessibility Act (34)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/european-accessibility-act) - [Mobile Web (30)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/mobile-web) - [Mobile Apps (27)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/mobile-apps) - [Retail (27)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/retail) ![](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Consultation%20Icon.svg) Need to improve digital usability, accessibility or performance? 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Stay up-to-date on our insights, the latest tech news and digital trends. ![International Association of Accessibility Professionals logo](https://blog.usablenet.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SaaS%20Theme/2023%20Header%20and%20Footer/IAAP-logo.png?width=150&height=81&name=IAAP-logo.png) © 2026 UsableNet Inc. ![International Association of Accessibility Professionals logo](https://blog.usablenet.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SaaS%20Theme/2023%20Header%20and%20Footer/IAAP-logo.png?width=150&height=81&name=IAAP-logo.png) © 2026 UsableNet Inc. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Michael Taylor", "url" : "https://blog.usablenet.com/author/michael-taylor" }, "dateModified" : "2023-10-10T15:58:20.336Z", "datePublished" : "2023-10-10T15:58:20.000Z", "headline" : "Job Searching while Blind: Common Accessibility Challenges", "image" : [ "https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/NDEAM%20Poster.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.usablenet.com/job-searching-while-blind-common-accessibility-challenges", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/UsableNet%20Logo_Black.png" }, "name" : "UsableNet Inc." } } ```