It is just different. That is, YOUR career journey has been so different, right?
As organizations all over the world are working to increase diversity (you know, to find YOU), I often teach workplace leaders that YOUR journey to the top of YOUR profession isn’t the same as everyone else’s. Your journey is often marred with hiring obstacles, filled with biases—and sometimes even blatant discrimination.
The Inner Circle Coaching Program
The Inner Circle Coaching Program is a safe space for ambitious and perceived as different folks to navigate their next career moves. It provides personalized support and guidance to help community members overcome the unique challenges they face in the hiring process due to biases and discrimination. The program empowers individuals to recognize their value, navigate the hiring obstacle course, and achieve their career success goals.
Included in your membership:
Coaching: Access to a Team JTC Career Coach
Flexible and Interactive Learning: The Inner Circle program is designed to fit seamlessly into your busy schedule while providing a rich, engaging learning experience.
Microlearning Approach: Comprising 21 interactive microlearning courses, each short and focused, making learning more digestible.
Interactive Videos: Engage with real-world scenarios through interactive videos designed to bring theoretical concepts to life.
Takeaway Materials: To reinforce key concepts, access a variety of takeaway materials, such as cheat sheets, checklists, and quick reference guides.
On-Demand Access: Learn on your terms with our on-demand platform available anytime, anywhere.
Engaging Presentations: Our courses feature interactive presentations that enrich your understanding and retention of the material.
Supportive Community: Join our dedicated online community and discussion forums to connect with peers and expand your professional network.
Want to know what Inner Circle is like?
Hear from some of our Legends…
As a matter of fact, We BET that you (yes YOU) experience these obstacles MORE simply because you are AMBITIOUS + DIFFERENT.
Ahem. Let us correct that.
You experience obstacles more often when you are trying to get hired and promoted because you are AMBITIOUS but always perceived as DIFFERENT.
So, wait --- DIFFERENT from what? (…are you asking this yet?)
Answer: You are always perceived as different from “professional standards” and norms that are rooted in Whiteness (more specifically, white, male, able-bodied, cis-gender standards and norms).
It can all feel so exhausting, right? You know that you have a desire for more. You are ready for more. But at every next level, the obstacles seem to be more and more taxing!
As women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and people who identify as LGBTQ+, you likely know what it means to be AMBITIOUS and always be perceived as DIFFERENT.
You know what it feels like for someone to doubt your ability because they’ve never seen anyone “like you” do this work before.
You instantly know the feeling of doubting yourself because you’ve been overlooked so many times. You start thinking, “is it just me?”
You know what it means to work twice as hard for half the credit. (You know this one well, right)?
You know the feeling of seeing a company announcement that John received a promotion for a position – that. never. got. posted. (How did that happen?)
You know what it feels like to show up at an interview and none of the interviewers look like you—or sound like you, or even really understand you…for that matter.
You have likely experienced working in a company where no one on the senior leadership team looks like you. And people who are getting promoted into leadership—nope, neither do they.
As AMBITIOUS as you are, I’m quite CERTAIN that you have been in rooms before where you were “the only one” of YOU in the room. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?
We could go on and on and on. But here’s our point.
As ambitious and talented as YOU are (right now!) and with ALL the value that you have to offer to any team, you do NOT have time to experience ALL these negative impacts of The Hiring Obstacle Course.
You do not have time to keep getting rejected by your dream company.
You do not have time to keep getting ignored and overlooked for promotions at your company.
You do not have the energy to keep wasting on feelings that don’t serve you like imposter syndrome or a lack of confidence, or low self-esteem.
Did you know that ALL these experiences are likely because of The Hiring Obstacle Course? Yep.
We get very frustrated that career coaches, career advisors, and career centers AVOID talking to you about this bias-filled hiring obstacle course. We spend a lot of time coaching them to lean into this work, but not everyone takes heed.
As a matter of fact, if your career coach is NOT talking to you about:
What it means to be Black, Asian, LatinX, or Indigenous and go through the interviewing process at a predominantly White company…
What it feels like to be a military veteran and apply to civilian jobs…
What you may be up against as a person with a disability trying to obtain gainful employment…
What it means when you are the first woman promoted into a male-dominated leadership team…
How you may be impacted when your pronouns are different from the standard, she/her or he/him…
Then RUN in the opposite direction because you are not receiving career support that works for YOU. Instead, you are receiving career advice that is one-size-fits-all. And the danger with that is this.
When you experience rejection or being overlooked/ignored, who will you likely blame? Who are you more likely to think the problem is?
Hint: You won’t think it is the career coach who constantly touts their success rates. Nope.
That’s right – YOU. You will think that you are the problem. But it is NOT you.
Listen. Your NEXT BEST career experience is waiting for you. So, enough talk about what you do NOT need. Here’s what you DO NEED (ASAP).
And that’s where we come in
We are Team JTC…
We sit on both sides of the table with a vision to make it easier for employers to find you and for YOU to access their opportunities.
Our CEO and Founder, Jenn Tardy, has been in the recruiting game for over 15 years—as a recruiter and moving all the way up to leading recruiting leaders. She is a diversity recruiting thought leader turned career coach—ready to help you to navigate the bias that is baked into the hiring process. We are the friend that whispers all of the unwritten rules to career success in your ear. We are that team that you keep in your back pocket.
Here’s something important to know. Our firm at Jennifer Tardy Consulting works with two audiences. We work with employers to help them learn effective and equitable ways to increase diversity. In other words, we help employers find YOU. AND, we work with you—with all of your talent and ambition—to navigate the bias-filled hiring obstacle course so that you can land an amazing job.
How do we do this work for you? Inner Circle.
You, my friend, DESERVE a career coach + community that understands YOUR experiences while you move to the top of your profession (no matter where you are starting).
To navigate the AMBITIOUS + DIFFERENT paradigm, you need INNER CIRCLE membership in your career success toolkit. Keep reading to learn more. Looking forward to seeing you on the other side.
Testimonials
The Inner Circle Legend Experience
“I loved the Inner Circle experience, because it was very transparent, with an opportunity to ask 'real' questions...questions you may have had in your head, but you are uncertain if you should ask the questions in the workplace. Inner Circle provided a sense of Community for me. It is a safe space to talk about real issues.
The greatest value I received was attending the coaching sessions and meeting with the JTC coach, which really led me to a change of mindset for how I value work. Before Inner Circle i looked for opportunities that paid well, and was willing to accept the jobs with only the bare minimum requirements of my long term goals. After engaging with Inner Circle, reviewing and editing my resume, I was able to refocus my job search, and was very successful finding a great fit for me, in a very supportive environment which encourages me to work on my Doctorate level homework (as time permits) on the job.
In addition, I was able to transfer the knowledge provided to me by the JTC career coach and the experiences gained through my time in Inner circle to support my new role as Career Coordinator, in an academic industry. I have already recommended Inner Circle to a few people because that is how I learned about the program. I truly valued my experience in the Inner Circle community and highly recommend it to anyone serious about taking charge of their career.”
— Tamara Kaiwa
“I’ve become more hyper aware of my setbacks and the negative story I’ve been subconsciously telling myself. I do feel more in tune with my abilities so that I can start selling myself.”
— Tiffany Paige
“New Perspective”
— Folukemi Oluwaseyi
“Searching for a job is the WORST. Between shady career coaches, HR people who ghost you, fake job postings, and my own fear and anxiety about the process, it's no wonder people take any job to exit this pain. Enter Jennifer Tardy. She is a breath of fresh air. Jennifer's focus on changing my perspective from this inside out has been uplifting. Jennifer's webinars have helped me shift my focus inward to what I can control. That's a huge win for me.”
— Marilyn Heywood Paige
“I feel more confident and understand my competitive advantage more as well as the hurdles that are in my way.”
— Inner Circle Legend
“I am getting more calls regarding my interest is potential opportunities. I am currently a final candidate for a "stretch" opportunity and I've never felt more confident and in control.”
— Inner Circle Legend
“I gained more clarity in the 1:1 Strategy Call with Loretta (Career Coach) regarding what JTC can offer me. That was helpful in my charting a path forward.”
— Inner Circle Legend
“I decided to apply to a new role. This was challenging for me because I had to have a conversation with my current manager about applying, since it was less than one year that I was in my current role. I had to let go of the belief that I was running away.. I decided to apply to another role that aligned with the skills I wanted to enhance and the job description energized me :-)”
— Inner Circle Legend
3 Myths to Career Coaching
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Ready for our BIG PROMISE
Here it goes…
In Inner Circle, we teach highly ambitious, underrepresented professionals how to navigate workplace bias so that they can experience freedom, create authenticity, access new opportunities, and earn a LOT of money while journeying to the top of their profession.
Inner Circle is a place where you get a roadmap that you can follow no matter your level:
Legend
Leader
Supervisor / New Manager
Specialist
Entry Level
Entrepreneur (because your business – even if it is a side hustle—IS also a part of your career)
Though most of our members are specialists, leaders, and side-hustle entrepreneurs…the point here is that your level does NOT matter. Your ability to understand the hurdles you face and navigate them well is what matters most to your career success. Our Inner Circle Coaching Program supports just that.
Ready to unpack INNER CIRCLE?
In Inner Circle, we offer COURSE(S) + COACHING + COMMUNITY.
Let’s start with courses:
Milestone #1: Debunking Myths, Setting Intentions: Career Success for Historically Underrepresented Populations
As we embark on our journey, we will delve into the common myths that hinder career success for historically underrepresented populations. Together, we will explore why statements, create a letter of resignation and reflect on key takeaways from the learning experience. Prepare to challenge assumptions, set intentions, and empower yourself for career advancement.
What's Stopping You? Debunking Popular Myths that Directly Impact Historically Underrepresented Populations - Identify common myths that hinder career success for historically underrepresented populations.
Moving Forward: Setting An Intention - Learn the importance of setting intentions and how to create them by writing your "Why Statement" and "Letter of Resignation." By the end, you will be able to articulate your "why" and what you're leaving behind to move forward and achieve your goals.
Milestone #2: The Inner Circle Blueprint
In this inaugural course, we share how you, your career goals, and the hiring process ALL affect the outcome of your career success. We unpack each part of the framework to ensure you are well-positioned to with the tools and strategies to show up as the highest version of yourself.
By the way, what makes our membership SO unique is that we not only help you to navigate the EXTERNAL hiring obstacle course (e.g., passing the interview screen), but we also help you to navigate your INTERNAL obstacle course (e.g., feeling imposter syndrome). We do this with our Offer Magnet Job Seeker and Bet on Yourself Courses. Keep reading…
Milestone #3: Offer Magnet Job Seeker – Learn to navigate the EXTERNAL hiring obstacle course
Learn how to navigate hiring bias and position yourself for hiring success. In this milestone, you will gain access to the following learning:
Recruiter Magnet Resume – learn how to make a high impact resume that gets seen by recruiters.
Top Job Search Strategies – learn the top strategies to apply and network your way through the hidden job market and land a great interview opportunity.
Offer Magnet Interview – learn exactly how to prepare yourself for your best interview yet, how to end interview nervousness, and what you should do before, during, and after the interview for greater success.
Press Play On Your Pay - explore equal pay and strategies for overcoming obstacles to negotiating pay.
Unlock the Secrets of Negotiation – learn what components of an offer should be negotiated, how to negotiate, and even gain access to an offer negotiation template.
Plus you will get access to 15+ templates, guides, and swipe file communication templates
This is a good course for you if you have been trying to answer questions like:
How do I create a top notch resume?
What are signs an employer really wants to hire me?
Why haven’t I heard back on my interview yet?
Was my job interview garbage?
How do I thoughtfully resign from my current job?
How do I create an idea LinkedIn profile?
How do I improve my workplace reputation?
How do I get a promotion at work?
What should I do within my first 90 days to really level up?
What do I do if I’ve been working in a toxic workplace environment?
Milestone #4: Bet on Yourself – Learn to navigate the INTERNAL hiring obstacle course
In this inaugural course, learn how to navigate your own emotions, barriers, and obstacles that have been put upon you and conditioned through a legacy of oppression, marginalization and underrepresentation. In this course you will gain access to the following topics:
Navigating good goals, but bad habits
Gaining focus
Comfort zones (challenges with resistance and familiarity)
Learning to validate yourself
Gaining resilience
Taking your faith walk
Changing your perspective (feeling guided by feelings and emotions)
Gaining balance and self-care
Healing, peace and acceptance
Trust and networking
This is a good course for you if you have been trying to answer questions like:
Should I fix my issue at my current company or just leave?
How do I have a courageous conversation with my manager?
What’s the cost of following my following or following my conditioning?
How do I motivate myself to keep going?
How do I motivate myself to get started?
Should I continue working for others or start my own business?
Next, let’s talk about COACHING + COMMUNITY:
The Inner Circle Coaching Program is an on-demand, self-paced coaching program where you are at the heart. As part of your Inner Circle membership you will have access to not one but two Team JTC Career Coaches. Ask a question within the forum of a particular course, and our coaches will provide best practice career advice and life advice that will support your career journey.
You will also become a part of a community where you will be able to connect and network with other professionals on their career success journey.
Inner Circle is NOT a place to join for only a season. Folks come for the career advice but stay for the transformation. We build long term relationships with our community, and our community (Inner Circle) is meant to serve and support you throughout your career lifecycle.
Here’s the usual profile of an Inner Circle Community Member:
Ambitious. Believes that they are being called for more in their career (and life).
A Forever Learner. Enjoys taking in (and is open to) new information, especially info that transforms their mindset and outcomes in life.
Inclusive. Open to networking, engaging, fellowshipping and learning from diverse communities.
Positive. Is a positive person and believes in assuming positive intent.
Self-Invests. Believes in investing in themselves in order to take their lives to new levels.
Open. Someone who is open to new ways of being, doing and having the most in their careers and in life.
Inner Circle is NOT for you (and pay close attention…) IF:
You NEVER run into any obstacles (internally or externally) when working to get employed and promoted.
You are NOT ambitious. You have no desire for more in your career (and life).
You do NOT like listening to best practices, professional advice and implementing it along the way.
You do NOT take your career seriously.
Are you STILL on the fence? Maybe these FAQs will help you.
Is Inner Circle only for marginalized groups (i.e., Black people)?
Inner circle is open to ALL races, ethnicities, gender identities, abilities, orientations, etc. It is just REALLY important that you FULLY understand that we pride ourselves in understanding the experiences that marginalized groups face when trying to gain access to employment and promotion and we weave these experiences into our roadmap. So if you are not interested in learning from that perspective, Inner Circle will not be the right program for you.
I'm a private person-- coaching via a forum feels too "open" for me.
We understand--to a degree you have to be willing to put yourself out there in order to gain the best experience in return. But understand this too -- most of our clients are very private too. They don't want their business "in the streets." We take seriously privacy and member confidentiality. As a matter of fact, during the orientation, our members sign a "Vegas Pledge" -- what happens in Inner Circle stays in Inner Circle. We have a zero tolerance for violators, and they will be immediately removed. We've got your back.
I've never had a career coach before--can you really help me?
Having a career coach "in your back pocket" will be one of the best investments that you make for yourself. Having someone help you to gain clarity, strategy and direction will help you to level up effectively and quickly. We understand that it is new to you, but just know -- it can work, especially if you work the program.
I don't have a job. Can I still join?
You sure can! As a matter of fact, working with Inner Circle can help you to position yourself for success and to get on the right career path for you. The only thing that we require in our members is that you are ambitious and have a desire for more for yourself. We can work with all other scenarios!
I don't know what I want to do with my career.
Inner Circle can help you to figure that out. As a matter of fact, we have designed interactive handouts that are ideal for individuals who are still working to gain more clarity in next steps of their career.
I am just now starting my career; can I still join?
Yes, as a matter of fact, we commend you for connecting with a community like Inner Circle so early in your career. You are going to sky rocket leaps and bounds around your peers as you begin to layer your learning with your career experiences. You should join asap!
What if I want to be an entrepreneur–is Inner Circle for me too?
Yep. As a matter of fact, many of our clients express an interest in starting an entrepreneurial venture. If this is you, we have an NBL model that we think you'll love that will help you to prepare yourself for entrepreneurship.
Any other questions, email us at hello@jennifertardy.com.
