MEDIA RELEASE

17April 2018

Most jobseekers think online job applications should be more accessible and inclusive

Nearly seven out of ten jobseekers (69%) think that employers and recruiters should make online job applications more accessible for disabled people, according to the results of a new survey by Recite Me and VERCIDA. 

The survey of 112 jobseekers was run in collaboration between web accessibility companyRecite Meand online diversity and inclusion recruitment platformVERCIDAin March 2018.

The results also show that just one in three jobseekers (33%) think that employers and recruiters currently do a good job of making online job applications accessible for disabled people.

These findings echo those of the2017 RIDI candidate surveyof 200 jobseekers with disabilities conducted by The Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) in partnership with VERCIDA.

The findings from that survey include:

• 75% of the disabled jobseekers surveyed find their condition has an impact on their job search
• 54% find hurdles at multiple stages of the recruitment process
• 28% find online assessments challenging

The disability employment gap (the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people) is more than 30%.

However, many more disabled people face barriers that stop them from entering the workplace, including inaccessible online job applications.

The new survey run by Recite Me and VERCIDA also shows that only 26% of jobseekers think that employers and recruiters do a good job of making online job applications inclusive for people who don't speak English as their first language.

And nearly half of jobseekers (47%) think employers and recruiters should do more to make online job applications inclusive for people who don't speak English as their first language.

Employers and recruiters can learn how to make the digital and online parts of the recruitment process more accessible for disabled jobseekers thanks to a recently launched guide, produced in collaboration between Recite Me and Guidant Group.

The guide to digital inclusion for recruitersis available on the Recite Me website:http://bit.ly/2BUag8h

Ross Linnett, Recite Me Founder and CEO said:

"Online application forms and skills assessments are now standard parts of the recruitment process.

"But the results of this survey show that jobseekers think employers and recruiters must do more to make online applications more accessible and inclusive.

"This backs-up the findings ofother research that shows disabled jobseekers often find barriers in the recruitment process.

"Clearly, we need to help recruiters and employers to make the recruitment journey more accessible and inclusive by doing things like creatingThe guide to digital inclusion for recruiters.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

Image Captions

Image 1: A woman using Recite Me to access the Arriva Buses website

For more information about Recite Me please contact Gavin Harris:  

Email: gavin@bigvoicecommunications.co.uk  

Mobile: 07986 688 262 
 

About Recite Me

1. Recite Me is an innovative Cloud based web accessibility solution which allows website visitors to customise websites the way they need it to work for them.

2. A live demonstration of the Recite software is available:www.reciteme.com/contact/trial 

3. The software includes text to speech functionality, dyslexia software, an interactive dictionary, a translation tool with over 100 languages and many other features.

4. Ross Linnett is the CEO and Founder of Recite Me and is available for interview or comment. Ross was diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult and founded Recite Me because traditional ‘assistive technology' was limited to only one computer.

About VERCIDA

VERCIDA stands for: Values, Equality, Respect, Culture, Inclusion, Diversity, Accessibility.

VERCIDA.com helps employers attract candidates from diverse backgrounds in a pro-active way through positive action, while clearly showcasing their employer value proposition.

The platform also offers jobseekers all the information they need to make an informed decision about whether an employer is the right fit for them.

Formed in January 2011 as DiversityJobs.co.uk, VERCIDA.com has been developed specifically to assist jobseekers and employers that want inclusion in the workplace.

VERCIDA.com is highly accessible having completed a 60 hour audit by the Shaw Trust ensuing even those with mobility, visual impairments or dyslexia can access the site.

The VERCIDA.com executive board includes RT Hon Sir Vincent Cable MP and Janet Hill CBE.