IKEA Sales Associate Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 400 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at IKEA.
IKEA
Sales Associate
Entry Easy Neutral experience Decline offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
To apply at IKEA, you first pick a job opening via the online portal, send in a CV and cover letter, and after a phone screen, you might get invited for an interview (online or in person); if it goes well, you get a job offer and a background check, then the onboarding starts to get you ready for your first day.
Confirmed questions5 questions
- What motivates you to work at IKEA?
- Can you give an example of a time you provided excellent customer service?
- Are you available to work flexible hours, including early mornings or weekends?
IKEA
Sales Associate
Entry Easy Positive experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Other
Had a quick phone screen with HR where I talked about liking IKEA's focus on diversity and inclusion. Then had a 75-minute sit-down interview with the manager on-site. It was a really friendly chat and the manager talked a lot. She mentioned she'd be happy to work with me. In the end, I was told there were internal people also going for the job and that I should apply for other openings to 'get on the floor.' Felt like a waste of my time, energy, and money to essentially be told no. I wish they had been more direct about the situation from the start.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What makes IKEA a good fit for you?
IKEA
Sales Associate
Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Group Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Case Group Presentation
The IKEA interview process was in three stages, well-paced and focused more on soft skills than technical ones. First, a recorded video interview (20 min) where I had to answer questions via an online platform, with limited time to record responses. The questions were mostly about motivations, teamwork, and handling stress or conflicts. A few days later, I was invited for a group interview with other candidates (in-store, about 2h). We started with a brief intro to the company and its values. Then, we worked in small groups on a customer case study, like helping an indecisive customer furnish a room on a tight budget. The goal was to assess customer service skills, cooperation, and concrete idea generation. Finally, I had a one-on-one interview with a manager (30-45 min). This was very focused on personality, motivation, and fitting the IKEA culture. I was asked for specific past situation examples (STAR method) and how I saw myself fitting into the team long-term. Overall, I found the process very human and well-organized, emphasizing IKEA values, teamwork, and customer interaction. It was a good mix of professionalism and kindness. I got a positive response a week after the last interview.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Could you describe how one might suggest a bike storage solution for a compact apartment?
IKEA Sales Associate Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from IKEA interview reports.
“What action would you take if a customer wanted to return something outside the established return policy?”
Read reports →“Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Growing within IKEA is possible and encouraged.”
Read reports →“If a customer wanted to buy a bookshelf, what questions would you ask to find the best option for them?”
Read reports →“Imagine a customer comes into the store needing a bookshelf. What questions would you ask them to help find the perfect one?”
Read reports →“If you were an IKEA furniture item, which one would you be and can you explain why?”
Read report →“Given a product, sell it back to the interviewers in front of other applicants, naming benefits and your suggested price.”
Read report →“Suppose a customer is asking for product details that you don't have; what would be your next step?”
Read report →“How would you handle a non-busy moment on the selling floor if a coworker wanted to chat?”
Read report →“If your referees were asked to describe you, what three words do you think they would use?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 400 IKEA interview reports.