LIVE @ ERE: Jenn Tardy: Awareness is the antidote for bias and diversity

LIVE from ERE Recruitment Conference 2024, Anaheim, California

Jenn Tardy is the CEO and Founder of Jennifer Tardy Consulting, aka Team JTC, a Maryland-based firm celebrated for its prowess in both career success coaching and diversity recruiting. As an International Speaker and Diversity Recruiting Expert, Jenn masterfully bridges the gap between job seekers and hiring professionals, facilitating career and hiring success.

Her commitment to increasing diversity and retention shines through her collaborations with esteemed organizations like SHRM, Red Bull, the US Chamber of Commerce, and Harvard University. Jenn’s partnerships with LinkedIn and The Society for Diversity, recognition as a 2020 LinkedIn Top Voice, and receipt of the 2020 James W. Rouse Diversity Award all highlight her dedication to inclusive hiring and retention practices. Currently, Jenn is writing a book with Hachette Books to explore these crucial themes further.

As a pioneer in diversity-focused career coaching, Jenn works intimately with hiring leaders to attract, engage, select, and retain talented candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Jenn also empowers job seekers to navigate hiring bias and secure job offers, simplifying their complex employment journey through effective strategies. Her unique central position in the recruitment triangle allows her to understand and address the challenges faced by all three stakeholders: job seekers, organizations, and recruiters. This insight fuels her firm, JTC, to create valuable resources like guides, e-books, workshops, AVs, and training programs that aid hiring professionals in dismantling bias in the hiring process.

With over 14 years in human resources and recruiting, Jenn’s academic foundation is solid, with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Business from Virginia Tech. She is now on a mission to universalize the concept of Lived Experience IntelligenceTM, the “it” factor behind the success of every diverse team. Her ultimate goal is to redefine diversity recruiting as simply recruiting, stripping away any stigma.

In this conversation, Adam Posner and Jenn Tardy explore the complexities of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. They discuss the importance of navigating political conversations, understanding unconscious bias, and creating safe spaces for dialogue. Jennifer emphasizes the need to redefine diversity and the significance of lived experience intelligence in recruitment. They also touch on the future of DEI initiatives and Jennifer's upcoming book, 'The Equity Edge.'

Connect with Jenn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifertardy/
Learn more: https://www.jennifertardy.com/

Thanks to our friends at ERE for hosting us. Learn more: https://www.eremedia.com/

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Thanks for listening. Please follow us on Instagram @NHPTalent and X @AdamJPosner. Visit www.thePOZcast.com for all episodes.

Takeaways

- It's okay to disagree with someone and still be friends.
- We need to hold space for each other's different experiences.
- Bias is a problem we all face, consciously or unconsciously.
- Awareness is the antidote for bias in recruitment.
- Diversity is not about individuals but about groups.
- Effective language is crucial for discussing diversity.
- Organizations must create safe spaces for difficult conversations.
- Lived experience intelligence can enhance recruitment practices.
- The future of DEI initiatives may depend on political changes.
- Jennifer's book will address diversity and retention strategies.