Successfully Transition into Your New Job

CareerCast - Life-long Career Development

When do you have the most leverage to make a great impression in your company? Some talent management experts believe that it’s the moment you accept an offer. In this CareerCast, Michelle Hay, director of HR for the Americas at A.T. Kearney, leading talent acquisition, integration, learning and development, talent management, rewards, and off-boarding, shares her multi-faceted experience, insights, and advanced approach for successfully transitioning into a new role.

Aired July 18, 2014

The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results, George B. Bradt, Jayme A. Check, and Jorge E. Pedraza (2011)

How to Win Friends and Influence People (Reissue edition), Dale Carnegie (2009)

Onboarding: How to Get Your New Employees Up to Speed in Half the Time, George B. Bradt and Mary Vonnegut (2009)

Your Next Move: The Leader’s Guide to Navigating Major Career Transitions, Michael Watkins (2009)

You’re in Charge, Now What?: The 8 Point Plan, Thomas J. Neff and James M. Citrin (2007)

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful, Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter (2007)

Sink or Swim: New Job. New Boss. 12 Weeks to Get It Right, Milo Sindell and Thuy Sindell (2006)

Right from the Start: Taking Charge in a New Leadership Role, Dan Ciampa and Michael Watkins (2005)

The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels, Michael Watkins (2003)

Michelle Hay is an accomplished human resources executive with extensive experience developing and leading the implementation of strategic initiatives. She is currently the director of HR for the Americas at A.T. Kearney, leading talent acquisition, integration, learning and development, talent management, rewards, and off-boarding. Hay is a member of the leadership team for the Americas and is focused on helping A.T. Kearney drive the firm to achieve its Vision 2020 by being the most admired firm and one of the top three high-value-added consulting firms in areas they choose to compete. She has been the senior vice president of human resources at Heitman, a global real estate investment management firm. At Heitman, Hay served as the senior member of the company’s executive management team, focusing on corporate strategic initiatives for human resources supporting offices in the US, Europe, and Asia. She was a change agent that worked to lay the foundation for effective human resources practices that positioned the company for significant growth. Hay’s focus is on aligning culture, leadership, and management with the strategic business direction. Earlier in her career, she served in consulting roles at Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, Capgemini, and Capital H Group in human resources. In those roles, she focused on aligning business strategy with talent strategies, designing reward programs, implementing talent acquisition strategies, developing performance management programs, and leading talent development functions. Hay received a BS in Psychology from the University of Houston and an MBA with a concentration in finance and human resource management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.