What IKEA looks for in candidates
IKEA describes its staff as "co-workers" rather than employees, and its hiring process is built directly around a well-documented set of company values: togetherness, cost-consciousness, simplicity, and caring for people and the planet. Interviewers commonly ask questions designed to test genuine alignment with these values, not just retail competence, so researching IKEA's specific value language before the interview is unusually useful here compared to most retailers.
The interview process
Most store roles involve a values-based interview covering teamwork, customer focus, and flexibility, sometimes alongside a group assessment exercise for busier hiring periods. IKEA also runs structured graduate and leadership development programmes with a more traditional multi-stage process: an application, an online assessment, and an assessment centre involving group exercises and a values-focused panel interview.
Common questions and how to answer them
"Which of IKEA's values resonates with you most, and why?" Pick one genuinely and back it with a specific personal example, rather than reciting all of them superficially. "Tell me about a time you worked as part of a diverse team." IKEA places strong emphasis on togetherness and inclusion, so a genuine, specific example matters. "How would you help a customer who cannot find a product in our large store?" Show a patient, helpful, practical approach, since IKEA stores are large and navigation frustration is a common customer pain point.
How to prepare
Read IKEA's published values directly and prepare a genuine personal example for at least two or three of them, since interviewers reference this language specifically. Prepare examples of teamwork and patient customer service, and if applying for the graduate programme, research IKEA's sustainability commitments, which come up frequently given the company's public focus on this area.