August 20th 2026
"We're just going to do it"
We share the story of Selim and his manager Nicholas at NS. An honest account of what a kickstart job asks of a team, but above all, what it delivers: new perspectives, more conscious collaboration, and learning from each other.
What a kickstart track can provide
When Nicholas decided to make room for a Kickstarter on his team, he knew one thing for certain: it would take extra time. Four months on, he sees it differently. Not because it took less time than expected, but because it gave his team something he hadn't foreseen.
In the photo, you see Selim and his supervisor, Nicholas. Selim has been working as a tester in the OV-Pas team for four months. Together with his colleagues, he tests new and existing systems so that they work as they should for millions of travellers during the rollout of the new OV-Pas. Nicholas hasn't been a supervisor at NS for long. Even so, he decided to make room for a kickstart position.
➡️ Want to know more about Kickstart jobs? Read it here
➡️ This is a shortened version. Curious about the whole story? Read it here
"We're just going to do it"
''An email arrived asking if we had a spot," says Nicholas. "My first reaction was doubt: do I really have time for this? I signed up anyway, thinking: let's see how it goes and try to make it work." Selim also decided to go for it. When he saw the vacancy, he immediately thought: "This suits me. I want to work and keep learning."
Selim joined NS through a kickstart position: a role for highly educated newcomers building their careers in the Netherlands. During a kickstart position, both the new colleague and the team get support — for example with language training, language buddies and intercultural guidance.
The real story
"A kickstart job asks something of a team. That's the honest version. You explain more, check more often whether someone understands you, and repeat things that are obvious to others," says Nicholas. "You don't always have that time. So you have to organise it differently." He doesn't do this alone. Colleagues pitch in, there's a buddy, and the team helps out. Still, it remains a challenge at times.
"We're busy. So it's not always possible to give everyone the attention you'd like." Selim sees it differently. "If someone doesn't have time, I look for another way." That attitude stands out — not only in Nicholas, but in his colleagues too.
Small moments make the difference
Development is often found in small things. During a meeting, a colleague uses the word "optrekken." For most colleagues, it's a perfectly ordinary word. Not for Selim. "Is it about a car? About sport? Or does it mean something else?" Together, they work out that here it means: collaborating. Since then, Selim has been writing down words and expressions he comes across. New ones are added every week. Without realising it, Selim isn't the only one learning — colleagues also notice how much jargon and colloquial language they use without thinking. They explain things more consciously and look at their own communication differently.
More than a new colleague
At the beginning, Nicholas was mainly thinking about whether he had enough time. He already had a whole team to manage. Now he sees it differently. "As a manager, you're forced to think more consciously about how to successfully bring someone on board. You look for people who can make time to help; colleagues take more time to explain what they do, help each other more often, and as a result, look at their own work with fresh eyes."
So a kickstart job brings more than just a new colleague. It brings new questions, different perspectives, and conversations you might not otherwise have had. For Selim, it means the chance to build his career in the Netherlands and be part of a team where he can keep learning. At the end of the conversation, he sums it up in four words: "Give someone a chance."