Sonara Accessibility USA

Why Accessibility Matters to Us at Sonara

Look, I’ll be honest with you—when we started building Sonara, accessibility wasn’t just a feature to check off. It’s been a core part of our platform from day one because job hunting is stressful enough without having to worry if the tools you’re using actually work for you. From our experience and what users tell us, accessibility makes a real difference in how smoothly you can navigate job matching and interview automation.

We’ve designed everything with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards in mind. That means whether you rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, or just prefer certain ways to interact, our AI-driven services won’t hold you back.

How Screen Readers Work Seamlessly with Sonara

Our engineers have put a lot of effort into making sure Sonara plays well with screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver. Instead of hearing confusing labels like “button button,” you get clear announcements like “Upload Resume button” or “Job Preferences form.”

Skip navigation links are baked in, so you can jump right to the main content without getting stuck tabbing through menus. This means when your AI-powered job matches pop up, the screen reader gives you the job title, company, location, and salary in a natural, easy-to-follow order.

How to Make the Most of Screen Reader Features

• Use the skip links at the top to jump past repetitive menus
• Listen carefully to ARIA-labeled buttons and form fields for context
• Navigate job listings via keyboard shortcuts designed for screen readers

Navigating Sonara with Your Keyboard Only

Not everyone uses a mouse, and we get that. On Sonara, you can move through the entire platform with just your keyboard. That means no clicking, just smart shortcuts and intuitive controls.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Tab moves forward through interactive elements
• Shift + Tab moves backward
• Enter activates buttons or links
• Space bar selects checkboxes or toggles
• Arrow keys navigate dropdowns and job listings

Every interactive element has a clear focus indicator, so you always know where you are. The job application tracker is particularly smooth—you can check statuses, schedule interviews, and update profiles without ever touching a mouse.

Visual Accessibility: More Than Just Bigger Text

We’ve gone beyond just letting you zoom in or increase font size. Our color schemes meet strict contrast requirements, making sure text is readable even for people with different types of color blindness or low vision.

Plus, you can zoom your browser up to 200% without losing any content or functionality. If you prefer minimal animations because of photosensitivity, there’s a toggle to reduce motion across the platform.

Visual Accessibility Options You Can Customize

• High contrast mode for clearer visuals
• Custom font size controls inside Sonara
• Reduced motion setting for less animation

Making Audio and Video Fully Accessible

We don’t just rely on text. For interview prep videos and tutorials, you get fully edited closed captions, audio descriptions, and downloadable transcripts. Plus, playback speed is adjustable to fit your pace.

Our interview scheduling sends notifications through both sound and visual signals, so you won’t miss anything whether you prefer audio cues or on-screen alerts.

Keeping Accessibility Strong on Mobile Devices

We don’t have a separate app, but our web platform is fully responsive and accessible on any smartphone or tablet. That means all the accessibility features you rely on—keyboard navigation, voice control, screen reader support—work just as well on mobile browsers.

Touch targets are designed to be easy to tap, and gesture navigation works alongside assistive tech. Whether you’re on iOS or Android, voice commands let you browse jobs, adjust preferences, and track applications hands-free.

Setting Up Your Personal Accessibility Preferences

We want you to feel in control. When you log in, you’ll find an Accessibility Settings section in your profile menu. Here’s how to customize it:

1. Log into your Sonara dashboard
2. Click on your profile menu in the top right corner
3. Select “Accessibility Settings”
4. Choose from options like high contrast, font size, reduced motion, and keyboard shortcuts
5. Save your preferences—they’ll stick with your account across sessions

How Our AI Job Matching Respects Accessibility Needs

Our AI doesn’t just match you to jobs based on skills and experience. You can tell it about your accessibility needs—like remote work requirements or specific workplace accommodations—and it’ll prioritize companies that support them.

The job matches display in various formats: a visual grid, list views compatible with screen readers, summary cards, or detailed expanded views. So no matter how you prefer to receive information, you’re covered.

Tips to Optimize Your Accessibility-Focused Job Search

• Include accessibility preferences in your profile to guide AI matching
• Switch between job display formats to find what’s easiest to use
• Use keyboard shortcuts to quickly filter and sort results

Tracking Your Applications with Accessibility in Mind

Our application tracker is built to be both clear and accessible. Status updates come with text and icons, so you always know where you stand. For example, instead of just a checkmark, you’ll hear “Application status: Under Review” with exact timestamps.

Interview scheduling integrates with calendars that support keyboard navigation and high contrast modes. Time zones are clearly displayed, and reminders come through as both visual and audio notifications.

Accessible Interview Preparation Tools

Preparing for interviews can be tough, so we made sure our materials are accessible too. Practice questions come as text, audio, and video with captions and transcripts. Our mock interview tool supports voice input and offers feedback in formats that fit your needs.

We organize company research info with clear headings and landmarks so screen reader users can easily jump around and find what matters most.

How We Make Support and Communication Accessible

When you need help, our live chat works well with screen readers and even shows typing indicators if you want a bit more time to process responses. Our help docs are well structured and searchable, with video tutorials that include captions and transcripts.

Need to reach out by email? We offer alternative contact methods so you can communicate in the way that works best for you.

Keeping Accessibility Fresh: Testing and Feedback

Accessibility isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing for us. We regularly test Sonara with real users relying on assistive technologies. Their feedback directly shapes our updates and priorities.

If you hit any accessibility barriers, please let us know through our dedicated feedback form. We usually respond within 24 hours because your experience matters.

Compliance and Going Beyond Standards

We meet ADA and Section 508 requirements and follow WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines. But honestly, compliance is just the starting point. We aim to exceed standards because good accessibility benefits everyone.

We keep up with new accessibility trends and emerging assistive tech, integrating improvements as they come along.

What’s Next: Future Accessibility Features at Sonara

Looking ahead, we’re working on AI-powered accessibility improvements like automatic alt text generation for images and personalized navigation suggestions. Voice control will become more powerful, letting you manage job searches and applications with more complex commands.

We’re also focusing on predictive accessibility to anticipate your needs and seamless integration with new assistive devices as they arrive.