Abstract Researchers consider job developers key to the successful negotiation of the complex factors that people with intellectual disability face when pursuing employment. Unfortunately, knowledge about the characteristics and their use of research tested strategies in job development is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the practices and attitudes of job developers and the implementation of best practices as described in the literature. The current study is an outgrowth of a large online survey of job development practices (Migliore, Hall, Butterworth, & Winsor, 2010). Researchers reached out to a subset of survey participants via telephone and conducted qualitative interviews with eight job developers. Findings from this study further explain the conclusions of Migliore et al. (2010) regarding the gap between the literature and field. Findings from the study also indicate that the issues, challenges, and strategies that job developers use with each customer group (families, individuals, and employers) are not necessarily seen as transferrable among the different groups. Implications and recommendations are based on research that supports a combination of formal training on best practices in job development and opportunities for job developers to learn informally from one another.