IKEA Mock Interview
Practice 40 IKEA interview questions covering design thinking, customer service, and Swedish values.
Question 15 of 40
Give me an example of a time you went above and beyond.
What You Need to Know
General 1
General 2
Focus Your Answer On
Community Answers
Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.
IKEA's core values focus on initiative, innovation, and accepting and delegating responsibility. "Enthusiasm, togetherness, and a 'get-it-done' attitude is what our culture is built upon. We're optimists, constantly looking for new and better ways to do things." They are looking for candidates who accept responsibility for their commitments, strive to go beyond your day-to-day obligations, and identify better ways to accomplish their tasks.
Jordan Henry is a technical and creative writer with experience in career development and resume/cover letter building.
"At my last job, I had an idea about how to standardize and organize the stockroom so that things moved more efficiently. One week, I spent my evenings after work coming up with a solid plan that I thought I could implement in during one shift, and then I took my idea and plan to my manager. She thought the idea was good, so I asked if I could use one of my upcoming shifts to put my plan into action, and she agreed. After that, things moved much more efficiently in the stock room, and my coworkers appreciated how much easier it was to find everything they were looking for. It allowed us to focus on what our customers needed on the sales floor."
Jordan Henry is a technical and creative writer with experience in career development and resume/cover letter building.
"Last week, I noticed that my manager had not completed the schedule for the following week. Some staff complained that they didn't have their work schedule yet. Rather than going to my manager with the complaint, I offered to take on some of her workload so she would have the time to complete the schedule. We worked together for a couple of overtime hours that day and were able to catch her up on everything. It felt good to help but also benefited me by way of organization."
Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.
Anytime you are faced with a question about going above or beyond or going the extra mile, it is an evaluation of your work style and work ethic. Your answer will indicate how often your performance standard exceeds expectations. It is best to choose an example that showcases how you always go the distance. Convey how your status quo is always going the extra mile. This is the time to shed light on everything you have to offer. If you don't over-share your accomplishments, how will they know they should have hired you?
Write Your Answer
0 - Character Count
Anonymous Answer
When I was a sale rep, we didn't have our products in one of the largest retailers in the country. I made it my personal mission to get stock into that retailer. It took a lot of research, planning, strategizing, building relationships with the retailer and suppliers but eventually, after about a year, I got our products listed.
Rachelle's Feedback
Very good example! Try to add in specifics on the end result. For instance, how many SKU's were you able to get listed?
"Working as a sales rep for Company ABC, I knew if we had our products listed within larger retailers, our sales would skyrocket. Although it was not a job requirement, I made it a mission to earn our way into Retailer XYZ. Throughout 12 months I researched, planned, strategized, and built important relationships. Finally, after one year, we were able to get 56 products listed. This win boosted our annual revenue by 1.2mm."
Anonymous Answer
In my last position, I was the sales floor manager, and my logistic manager was new to the position. I had been in her role before, and I was able to give her great feedback on how to do the job. I also asked my store manager if he could allow me to spend time with her. I was not only doing my role, but I was also helping a fellow leader move to a better situation. She thanked me, and she is now a trainer for the district.
Marcie's Feedback
Awesome! You went above and beyond to help someone else to the benefit of the company. Nice. Can you talk a bit more about the type of feedback you provided? The more details you can provide, the better!
Unlock All 40 IKEA Questions
Prepare for IKEA's unique culture-driven interviews with expert responses.
Get StartedJump to Question