In this episode of The Recruiting Book Club, host Carmen Hudson is joined by author, entrepreneur, and equity strategist Jenn Tardy for a conversation that’s part history lesson, part recruiting masterclass, and part call to action.

As CEO of Jennifer Tardy Consulting and co-owner of PWP Health, Jenn has spent her career dismantling the barriers that keep workplaces from being truly inclusive - whether in corporate recruiting or community-based mental health. Her new book, The Equity Edge, is a blueprint for leaders ready to move beyond good intentions and start creating measurable change in hiring, retention, and representation.

From her early days as a recruiter to leading TA teams across industries, Jenn has seen the same patterns repeat: hiring systems that work exactly as designed - to exclude - and recruiters who underestimate their power to change them. In this discussion, she makes the case for why equity must be baked into the foundation of every workplace, not bolted on as an afterthought.

Highlights from the conversation:

The Language Shift We Need – Why no individual is “diverse,” and how reframing language changes who takes responsibility for inclusion.

The Hiring Process Isn’t Broken – It was built to keep some people out. Jenn explains how to re-engineer it to open doors without causing harm.

Equity Over Inclusion Alone – Inclusion without equity forces employees to adapt to systems never designed for them.

Recruiters as Advisers, Not Order-Takers – How to push back on “not a fit” feedback and tie every qualification to the actual work.

Unconventional Sourcing That Works – From mega churches to college DEI offices, Jenn shares strategies that expand your talent pool if you commit beyond a one-time try.

Proof of Inclusion – The checklist every employer should use to assess whether their actions and public signals tell candidates they belong.

The Tax of Being Different – How underrepresented employees calculate the personal cost of working in non-inclusive environments - and why employers should pay attention.

Jenn leads with clarity and warmth, pairing deep historical context with practical tools leaders can use today. The Equity Edge isn’t just a book - it’s a strategy for building systems that welcome, value, and elevate every voice.

Follow Carmen Hudson on LinkedIn

or visit www.carmenhudson.com

Connect with Jenn Tardy on LinkedIn

or visit https://www.jennifertardy.com/

Get your copy of The Equity Edge - a must-read for recruiters, HR leaders, and executives ready to turn equity from a talking point into a measurable reality.

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