A Guide to IKEA Careers in 2024: Jobs & Application Process

IKEA furniture stores have become a household name over the past several decades and the Swedish company, founded by Ingvar Kamprad, remains a firm favorite among new homeowners, students and anyone wanting to give their home a modern, budget-friendly, Scandi twist.

With stores throughout the world, the company offers a broad range of career options from entry-level positions on the shop floor or within the warehouse to design roles, IT careers and management posts.

IKEA is also the sixth largest food chain around the world and its popular, on-site kitchens and cafes also offer the opportunity for aspiring chefs, cooks and servers to help bring IKEA’s unique, Swedish-inspired flavors to millions of customers every year.

Whether you are looking for a straightforward warehouse job or are researching IKEA International jobs with the view to relocating, this article will guide you through the main points of the IKEA hiring process.

The famous brand does expect a lot from its applicants and its six-step recruitment process reflects this.

What Is IKEA?

IKEA is a popular store famed for flat pack furniture with simple, modern designs and on-site cafes selling its signature Swedish meatballs.

Beginning its journey in 1943 in the town of Älmhult in Sweden, the IKEA brand has gone from a small scale, mail order catalogue business to a global retail giant, with over 400 stores spread across the world.

The small town where it all began, as well as remaining a hub for the IKEA corporation, now also houses the IKEA museum – a place that details the company’s history throughout the years via a series of exhibits and collections.

IKEA has stores in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and it has just launched in Chile, with plans to expand into several South American countries over the coming years.

With such a large-scale operation comes the opportunity for economic growth in areas where new stores open – each time they do, dozens of different IKEA job openings are advertised.

From marketing to manufacturing, design to logistics, the company offers many different career options.

Priding itself on friendly service, the company also claims to offer a good work/life balance to its employees, with both IKEA part time jobs and full-time roles on offer.

What Are IKEA Careers?

There are a wide range of careers options available at IKEA, including:

• Front-of-house
• Back-of-house positions
• Administration and office work
• Hospitality positions within the signature cafes

There is also scope to progress to managerial and more senior roles.

On the company website, it offers potential applicants the opportunity to browse roles in seven different employment areas.

IKEA Recruitment – Employment Areas

Administration and Support Services

If you are looking for an office-based role at IKEA, then becoming a support worker within the company may suit you.

Working behind the scenes, administration staff have to be organized, with problem solving skills and with a keen eye for detail to keep everything running smoothly for staff and customers alike.

Customer Service

When you think retail, you usually think of customer service.

Customer-facing roles do make up a large proportion of IKEA jobs.

Customer service at an IKEA store means dealing with enquiries, issues and sales in-store, online and by phone.

IKEA requires its customer service employees to be great listeners, good problem solvers and show a commitment to learning all there is to know about the products on offer.

Food and Restaurant

As the sixth largest food chain in the world, IKEA offers multiple hospitality jobs within its on-site cafes.

This includes openings for chefs, food assistants, food managers and food store workers as well as IKEA part time jobs within the café area.

Home Furnishing and Retail Design

This is the department for anyone with a keen eye for design and color who likes to keep up with new trends and can communicate their ideas clearly.

It is not only a department for those with design related degrees either – IKEA needs people to dress displays and showcase its items on the shop floor too.

IT

A significant proportion of IKEA sales are done through the company website, and it always needs new and innovative talent to keep everything working well and looking sharp on the tech side.

Logistics and Customer Fulfilment

If you are interested in IKEA warehouse careers, you should consider browsing jobs within customer fulfilment and logistics.

The company has full and part time contracts available in the department and, unlike many of the other IKEA careers that are structured around store opening hours, the warehouse offers night shifts and other working patterns to fit in with your availability.

Sales

The sales department has a range of opportunities available for colleagues who enjoy helping customers to select the best products for them.

In addition to traditional sales assistant or sales worker roles, there is also the option to become more specialized and help on bigger projects such as kitchen design.

What Is the Application Process Like for IKEA Jobs?

If you are interested in a career with the Scandinavian furniture giant, you can search and apply for IKEA job openings online via its website or by using trusted recruitment sites.

The IKEA job application process may vary depending on the role, but in general it follows six stages:

1. IKEA Jobs Search and Application

Visit the company website’s job portal and browse available jobs.

Here you can start to create your profile. You will need to attach an up to date resume.

You also have the option to write a letter of motivation.

While this is optional, it is highly recommended as it gives you the opportunity to show the company that you respect and understand its values.

In your personal letter of motivation, you need to show how your skills, work experience and intentions will benefit IKEA if you are hired.

Keep linking your thoughts back to the company’s ethos – this is expanded upon below. This will help to set you apart from other candidates.

2. Pre-Screening

Experienced recruiters screen the applications that arrive and decide which ones they wish to progress with.

For some roles, this may involve completing an assessment, which might be the 50 question PI Cognitive Assessment test that measures both a candidate’s cognitive abilities and how they are likely to learn and adapt at work.

If you are asked to sit a personality test during the application process, try not to worry. You can find test-prep packs online to help you to practice and prepare.

3. Phone or Video Interview

The next step in the IKEA recruitment process is usually an interview via phone or video.

The interview process is sometimes followed up by another live online interview with your potential future manager.

Although you should prepare thoroughly by practicing IKEA interview questions, IKEA is keen on simplicity, innovation and a modern approach to life. The company is unlikely to be impressed if you have rehearsed long answers to interview questions and cannot think on your feet.

The interviewers will not like it if you come across as disingenuous, so, whilst it is important to prepare for your interview, try to remain your authentic self.

Think about what it is about you, your interests or what you do that relates to the IKEA values and how you can demonstrate that.

Remember, IKEA will be looking for a team player that works hard and has principles.

4. In-Person Interview

The final interview stage may be done online or in-person at a working location. Usually these will be attended by your potential future manager and sometimes a member of senior management (your manager’s manager).

Interviews can be nerve wracking, but IKEA state that they do not expect new recruits to have memorized the brand’s entire history.

They are more concerned with getting to know you, but they do expect minimal knowledge on the basics of the company (that they are keen innovators who sell modern, affordable furniture).

They will be impressed if you show understanding of the eight IKEA values at interview stage. These are explained further down in this article.

Be prepared that sometimes group interviews or case study interviews are held.

5. Offer

If you are offered a role at IKEA, you will usually be contacted to discuss the offer and will also receive it in writing.

You should be prepared to be asked for details for a background check, and even possibly a drug test, before a hiring decision is made.

As the company are committed to fair and equal pay, now is your opportunity to make sure that you know your worth – if your skills and experience warrant more than what is offered this is your opportunity to negotiate (in a professional and polite manner).

6. Onboarding

Once a job offer has been accepted you will be granted access to a human resources portal that is full of important information about the company and what you need to do to prepare for your first day.

You will also receive an induction date for when you can start your new job, meet your colleagues and get practical experience of your new role.

Make sure you have any documents to hand that are requested such as your ID or right to work papers.

IKEA Jobs – Why Have an IKEA Career?

Current employees at IKEA often cite the friendliness of the teams and the generous benefits and paid time off (PTO) that the company offers to workers as reasons they like to work there.

Others enjoy working for a company that has a green ethos and a commitment to continually improving its methods.

Many workers at IKEA like the varied nature of the work and the opportunity for moving to new departments and learning new skills, as there are a significant number of different departments and roles available, as well as the scope for changing locations within the global giant.

IKEA also provides workers with a free uniform, $3 meals on shift from the on-site café and a staff discount on purchases.

The company will prioritize applicants who have a ‘can do’ attitude, which is often code in the business world for expecting employees to work hard, sometimes under pressure, without complaining.

IKEA values teamwork, inclusivity and making a better and more sustainable future for all, and it wants to see these values demonstrated by IKEA colleagues.

If you might enjoy a job where you may be working alongside people from a diverse range of backgrounds and abilities, varied (and sometimes pressured) day-to-day requirements, and generous benefits matched by equally high expectations, then an IKEA career may be right for you.

The IKEA Values

The ‘IKEA values’ reflect the company’s core values and what it considers to be the most important qualities in a job applicant.

• Togetherness – Togetherness, or tillsammans in Swedish, underpins IKEA culture. It refers to the company’s desire for its employees to work together with trust and commitment and to enjoy their work.

• Caring for people and the planet – IKEA has made a commitment to be a ‘force for positive change’ as well as to source and manufacture products more sustainably.

• Cost-consciousness – The brand wants to bring affordable items to the masses without compromising on quality. It is always keen to learn new ideas on cutting unnecessary costs.

• Simplicity – As reflected in its designs, the brand aims for a simple and clear-cut approach to business.

• Renew and improve – IKEA aims to keep improving the way it works and prides itself on searching for solutions to ‘impossible’ problems.

• Different with a meaning – The business wants to continue to be unique in both its approach and its methodologies.

• Give and take responsibility – IKEA is willing to give responsibility to its colleagues at all levels, even early on in their careers.

• Lead by example – Colleagues who can demonstrate leadership qualities and embody the company values in their day-to-day life are considered inspirational; IKEA promises to recognize this over qualifications or job title.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

IKEA is known for its modern outlook and simplicity; however, the IKEA recruitment process has multiple stages and may not seem so simple to navigate.

The most important advice you should take, if you want to impress the hiring managers at the home furnishing giant, is to learn and understand the company’s values and consider how they relate to you.

The company is often praised for paying workers above the minimum wage and offering multiple employee benefits and discounts.

But, in return, it will almost certainly expect some hard work, a hands-on approach and for you to consistently demonstrate that you are a responsible team player.

If you can show IKEA that you are authentic, can handle multiple projects at once, are not afraid of working hard and, even better, you support inclusivity and progress on environmental issues, you stand a strong chance of success within the company.