Give me an example of a time you went above and beyond.
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.
"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."
"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."
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?
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
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!
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