Meet one of our colleagues
Nicolai graduated with a Master's degree in Computer Science from the University of Copenhagen in 2022 and joined Novataris as a fresh graduate.
We've given the floor to Nicolai so he can tell us how he experienced his start-up here at Novataris.
Hi, my name is Nicolai Tudborg. I am 29 years old and have a degree in Computer Science from the University of Copenhagen.
One of the things that attracted me to Novataris, and the consulting industry was the opportunity to try out different industries, technologies, and customers, which I saw as a great advantage as a newcomer to the labour market. I also wanted to go for a smaller company that was not a startup either. I wanted something in between. In a large organisation, I had a feeling that you might feel small and insignificant, but at the same time, I was looking for the structure of an established company.
The structure here is definitely one of the things I had to get used to and where I have developed the most personally. Both during my studies and at home with very young children, things can quickly become a bit chaotic, so it's good that I have a bit more structure in my everyday life. In particular, I've become better at planning ahead and letting people know about things well in advance.
Professionally, it is in my communication with the customer where I have developed the most. It's a big leap to go from an education programme where everyone is highly technical and knows many of the same things, to having to communicate your knowledge to people who don't have the same technical knowledge. In addition, it was also a change to work in an enterprise set-up with a larger code base plus large and complex systems.
Something I thought about a lot during the education programme was that I was doing a lot of things that you can't really translate into reality. One of the great things about being here at Novataris is that I deliver a product that is actually being used and that others are happy with.
And it's not just with our customers, it was also when I started at Novataris, I began working on some of the projects where the solution is actually being used internally by my colleagues.
At university you can sometimes feel like you can't figure things out, and then I started at Novataris and realised that I actually can. It was nice that it all happened in a safe environment where I had plenty of time to learn. There was focus on no pressure and I didn't go out to a customer until I was ready.
It's a big change when you start as a new graduate, which it certainly was for me. But the biggest challenges I've faced have been overcome through training. Just do it.
It sounds trite, but I've thrown myself into situations where I'm challenged. Sometimes things go wrong and sometimes they go right. Then you have to stop and reflect on why it went well or badly and take that learning with you going forward. At the same time, I'm part of a team with a lot of talented colleagues, so there's always someone to help you along the way.
Socially, I had to get used to the professional look, which was a bit of a change from university. Although we are professional in the way we dress and certainly in our work, there is a relaxed atmosphere. The hierarchy is flat and it's easy to go to the partners for help.
I especially enjoy our Community meetings, which we have on the first Friday of every month, where we are updated on the latest news in Novataris. There's room for more fun and games, and it's nice to catch up with colleagues who aren't on my team. There's an opportunity to connect with everyone in the organisation.
There is a good atmosphere and I feel we are good at involving each other in activities outside of work. Some people are more likely to participate than others, but it's not something you’re pressured to do. There's a great community.
If I had to give advice to new colleagues at Novataris, it would definitely be "ask". Just ask. There's always someone who can help.