Onboarding of new graduates
Imagine this: You have the technology. You have the plans. But your team is stretched to breaking point. The project should be in full swing, but you're short-staffed and the clock is ticking.
This is the reality in many Danish companies right now.
Recruitment processes are dragging on. Ambitious plans are being postponed. And while your competitors are moving forward, you are waiting for the "perfect profile."
But what if the solution lies not in more seniors, but in new forces that can create momentum from day one?
Experience isn't everything: speed, curiosity, and ownership can carry more weight
The new graduates of 2025 are far from green. They have grown up with digital tools, AI, and data, and they are used to experimenting, collaborating, and creating results in practice. They bring with them:
- Experience from case projects, innovation, and business courses
- A keen understanding of technology and natural adaptability
- A learning mindset where "I'm learning this" replaces "I've done this before."
It is an energy that many companies underestimate, but which can be the difference between keeping up and leading the way.
Onboarding as a growth engine
Hiring a recent graduate is not about taking chances. It's about investing wisely in the key employees of the future. When the onboarding process is structured and clear, they can contribute from day one:
- They put theory into practice in real-world projects
- They create momentum in development work
- They relieve key personnel and bring new energy to the team.
It is not "cheap resources," but new knowledge at high speed. For many companies , it has been a wake-up call: recent graduates can be worth their weight in gold if they are given the framework to succeed: "We see time and time again that the companies that succeed best are those that dare to give recent graduates clear responsibilities from the start. When the framework is in place, the results come much faster than many people think," explains Kathrine Bahnsen, Sourcing Specialist at KOLLAB.
Recruit potential; create results
Traditional requirements for three years of experience may seem reassuring, but they close the door to a growing pool of talent that thinks and works in new ways. The best results come when companies dare to recruit based on potential–and use onboarding to build experience together.
This requires a change in mindset: from "they must be able to deliver from day one" to "we must make it possible for them to deliver from day one." Once the framework, expectations, and learning curve have been carefully considered, it rarely takes more than a few weeks before the first results become apparent: "Many people are surprised at how quickly new graduates gain a foothold. They come without old habits and with a curiosity that makes them incredibly easy to onboard–especially in tech and data roles," explains Kathrine Bahsen.
Jumpstart: a shortcut to the next key employees
KOLLAB's Jumpstart program is designed specifically for companies that want to take action before recruitment comes to a standstill. Selected recent graduates are matched with roles such as Project Manager, BI Consultant, Developer, or Change Manager in a flexible try-and-hire process lasting 6–12 months.
The result is that companies gain the skills they have been lacking for months in just a few weeks. Candidates who grow into the role and stay. And teams who find that less experience sometimes means more momentum: " Jumpstart was created based on a real need that we see time and time again: Companies have the technology and vision in place, but lack the manpower. With Jumpstart, they get talent, speed, and security in one solution," she continues.
Customers experience the effect on their own bodies
Companies that have used Jumpstart not only experience faster recruitment, but also faster business:
“Jumpstart gave me the opportunity to quickly start a project with few risks, as well as the opportunity to create value before we potentially added the fixed costs of a new employee.” – Anders, Recruitment Manager, EDC
“KOLLAB has been really good at finding profiles that we would not otherwise have found. This has created great value for the entire organization.” – Christoffer Rahbek, Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Several of the companies that have tried Jumpstart tell the same story: that the journey starts as an experiment–but quickly becomes an integral part of their recruitment strategy. Once they experience how quickly candidates build momentum, the model becomes indispensable.
Kathrine Bahnsen, who matches candidates and companies in the Jumpstart programs on a daily basis, recognizes this pattern: "We see the same pattern in almost all Jumpstart programs: Candidates contribute from day one, and many are hired permanently because they have already proven their value."