Your job listing is often the first proper interaction a potential new hire has with your organisation, so it has a big influence on whether they decide to apply. For disabled applicants, small barriers at this stage can be enough to put them off applying entirely, but through some quick and easy wins, you can transform your job listings into opportunities that encourage disabled people to apply rather than turn them away.

Like many inclusive employment practices, we’ve found time and time again that these changes improve the experience of all, including non-disabled people. If we provide all applicants with a better idea of the recruitment process and the requirements of the role, we allow them to confidently submit more informed applications. Investing time into your job listings isn’t just an inclusion activity, but will improve the quality of your applicants and results in a smoother experience for both your applicants and recruitment team.

Here are four practical things we regularly recommend when supporting organisations with Disability Confident accreditation.

Split your criteria into Essential and Desirable

You should separate your Person Specification into Essential and Desirable criteria so applicants know what they are actually being judged on. It is also worth challenging whether every Essential requirement is genuinely essential; for example, does somebody really need a driving licence, or do they simply need to travel occasionally? Some disabled people may not be able to drive, so this could create unintentional barriers for a disabled applicant who could be a fantastic candidate otherwise.

Clear minimum criteria are particularly important if your organisation uses the Guaranteed Interview scheme, a requirement of Disability Confident Committed (Level 1) accreditation, where applicants who identify as disabled can be progressed to the interview stage providing they meet the Essential criteria for the role. Outlining these Essential criteria communicates what applicants need to demonstrate, making it less ambiguous for applicants and increasing the quality of applications.

Explain the recruitment process to applicants

The entire recruitment process should be clearly laid out on your job listings, including how many interview stages there are, whether they will need to complete a presentation, assessment or take-home task, and any indicative dates for these stages. This gives everybody a clearer idea of what to expect before they apply and allows disabled applicants to think about any reasonable adjustments they may need in advance.

Make your equality statement specific

Generic equal opportunities statements can easily become background noise, so be explicit about who you want to encourage to apply. If disabled people or other groups are underrepresented in your organisation or industry, say so, and if you are Disability Confident, explain what that means for applicants rather than simply adding the badge at the bottom of the advert.

Offer alternative ways to apply for accessibility

An online application form should not be the only way somebody can apply. Where somebody needs a reasonable adjustment, consider alternatives such as taking information over the phone or accepting an application in another accessible format, particularly if the standard application process creates a barrier unrelated to their ability to do the job. Most organisations would be likely to do this for an applicant if they asked, however, you should explicitly state that you offer alternative application methods on the job listing to reassure disabled applicants.

Inclusive recruitment starts before the interview

Inclusive recruitment isn’t just about making adjustments once somebody reaches the interview stage. Applicants first need to feel confident enough to even apply, but a clear, transparent and accessible job listing is one of the easiest ways to remove unnecessary barriers at that first stage.

At Jamescape, this is exactly the kind of practical work we focus on through our Disability Confident accreditation support. We help organisations review their recruitment practices, identify barriers and make tangible improvements so they can attract and recruit a more diverse workforce.

If you would like support reviewing your recruitment process or progressing through Disability Confident accreditation, book in a chat with our team to see how we can support you.