ARIA Labels

Term from Accessibility Consulting industry explained for recruiters

ARIA Labels are special text descriptions added to website elements to help people who use screen readers understand what's on the page. Think of them as invisible labels that describe buttons, images, and other website parts that might not be clear without seeing them. It's like adding audio descriptions to visual elements. This is a key part of making websites accessible to everyone, including people with visual impairments. When you see this term in resumes, it shows that the candidate knows how to make websites usable for all people, which is increasingly important for businesses wanting to comply with accessibility laws and reach all potential customers.

Examples in Resumes

Implemented ARIA Labels across company website to improve accessibility compliance

Enhanced user experience by adding ARIA Labels and ARIA Attributes to navigation elements

Conducted accessibility audits and updated ARIA Labels to meet WCAG 2.1 standards

Typical job title: "Accessibility Specialists"

Also try searching for:

Web Accessibility Consultant Front-End Developer UI Developer Accessibility Engineer Digital Accessibility Specialist Web Developer Front-End Accessibility Developer

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you implement an accessibility strategy for a large enterprise website?

Expected Answer: Should discuss creating accessibility policies, conducting audits, training teams, implementing ARIA labels systematically, and ensuring ongoing monitoring and maintenance of accessibility features.

Q: How do you handle complex dynamic content with ARIA labels?

Expected Answer: Should explain how to manage updates to screen reader announcements for changing content, live regions, and maintaining accessibility in interactive applications.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What are the common mistakes people make when implementing ARIA labels?

Expected Answer: Should mention duplicate labeling, using ARIA when HTML elements would work better, incorrect syntax, and not testing with actual screen readers.

Q: How do you test if ARIA labels are working correctly?

Expected Answer: Should discuss using screen readers, automated testing tools, and manual testing procedures to verify that ARIA labels are properly implemented and useful.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is the purpose of ARIA labels?

Expected Answer: Should explain that ARIA labels provide text alternatives for visual elements to help screen reader users understand website content and functionality.

Q: What's the difference between a regular label and an ARIA label?

Expected Answer: Should explain that regular labels are visible on the page while ARIA labels are invisible and only read by screen readers.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic understanding of web accessibility
  • Simple ARIA label implementation
  • Knowledge of screen readers
  • Basic accessibility testing

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Complex ARIA implementation
  • Accessibility testing tools
  • WCAG guidelines knowledge
  • Accessibility audit experience

Senior (5+ years)

  • Enterprise accessibility strategy
  • Team training and leadership
  • Advanced ARIA implementations
  • Accessibility compliance management

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No knowledge of basic accessibility guidelines
  • Unfamiliar with screen readers
  • Cannot explain the purpose of ARIA labels
  • No experience with accessibility testing
  • Doesn't understand WCAG standards