Ikea Resume Example & Writing Guide

Ikea, the Swedish furniture store with international reach, isn’t just a great place to buy a couch – it might just be your next dream job. Ikea employs about 15,000 people in the U.S. and 130,000 worldwide for a variety of roles from sales floor associates and warehouse workers to graphic designers and marketing specialists. 

If you love customer service and have an eye for home design, there’s no limit to where a position with Ikea might take you. Since positions with Ikea are competitive, your resume will need to prove to a hiring manager that you deserve a coveted interview spot.

Luckily, Resume.io has got your back. This Ikea resume example, along with our adaptable Ikea resume sample, is specifically designed to get you in the door at the company named No. 2 best place to work, according to Forbes. 

This guide, along with corresponding Ikea resume examples, will cover:

• What Ikea hiring managers are looking for in your resume
• The right sections for landing a position at Ikea
• The best CV or resume format for your Ikea resume
• Tips and tricks for resume writing (based on real resume sample writing).

How to write an Ikea resume

Since Ikea is such a desirable place to work, a generic resume just won’t cut it. To have the best chances of landing an interview, you’ll need to prove to the hiring manager that you have a strong interest in the company and its values.

One of the most important things you can do is to familiarize yourself with the brand. Visit the nearest Ikea store and walk through the showroom. Take in the products and experience as a whole, but then pay specific attention to the areas you’re applying to. If your dream job is in marketing, notice the signage and catalog. Want to work in the food section? Trying the meatballs is the least you can do. Since Ikea hires in so many different areas, understanding the brand is a start, but you should also express familiarity with your desired specialization.

So why all this extra effort? Once you’ve done your homework about Ikea, you can customize your resume to the job description. A tailored resume 1. helps you get past any automated resume scanners looking for keywords and 2. makes your interest and relevant experience clear from the moment a hiring manager begins to read.

Your Ikea resume will need all the standard sections of a traditional resume including:

• A summary section that showcases your personality and motivations
• An employment history section that highlights relevant experiences
• A skills section that shows off your top attributes
• An education section that explains your career trajectory

In the following chapters we’ll discuss how to write each of these critical areas and offer examples from our adaptable Ikea resume sample.

Choosing the best CV format for your IKEA resume

When it comes to resume format, the term usually means one of two things:

• How you format the structure of your resume in terms of resume sections
• How you deal with the design and visuals of your resume

When it comes to the best resume format for Ikea in terms of structure, your best bet is likely going to be the reverse chronological resume . Its main focus is the employment history section, where all past jobs are listed in reverse order (from most recent to last).

In terms of visuals, Ikea is all about aesthetics, so your CV or resume design counts for a lot. A visually pleasing CV format shows that you’re interested in the position and you understand the company’s branding. Your resume format doesn’t need to be complicated, however. Just make sure to keep it highly organized so a hiring manager can quickly find the information they are looking for.

If you need to create a resume format without a lot of fuss, a resume template can give you the perfect starting point. Make sure to choose a design that aligns with Ikea’s image. In this case, a pop of color or bold font is likely the right choice. Check out our modern resume template collection for ideas on how to get started.

Ikea summary example: pitching your personality

Ikea prides itself on hiring friendly, helpful employees who share the company’s vision and values. If that’s you, your summary section is the best place to make it known. Ikea hiring managers are trying to assess whether you’re willing to stay and grow with the company and if you match the company culture. The 3-5 sentences of your summary give you the best opportunity to show off a bit of personality and creative writing. 

The summary section is likely the only chance you have on your resume to sell yourself directly to the hiring manager. Use descriptive language and action verbs to describe what makes you tick. If you’re applying for a more experienced role, make sure to highlight previous accomplishments using numbers and statistics to add weight to your words. Above all, your summary should mention why you want to work for Ikea and what you believe you bring to the table.

Employment history example: the perfect starting point

How you formulate your employment history section for an Ikea resume will largely depend on the exact role you’re applying to. If it’s an entry-level position, three work experiences that highlight transferable skills may be the best you can offer. If you’re looking for a senior management position, naturally your employment history should demonstrate a track-record of success in directing teams.

As you’ll see in our resume examples, you’ll likely want to use the reverse chronological resume format to list your positions from most recent to earliest. Use the 3-5 bullet points under each heading to mention the duties and skills most similar to the ones mentioned in the job description. Offer numbers to quantify your accomplishments.

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Skills example section: the right traits

Again, the job description will be your go-to guide as you write your skills section . More nuanced abilities can be incorporated into the bullet points of your experience. The skills section itself is a great place to highlight the exact qualifications you have for the job. Try to include a balance of hard and soft skills. Ikea is especially focused on your ability to work with people, so skills like teamwork, troubleshooting, leadership and customer service are good options.

Here’s a basic resume sample for a skill list in your Ikea resume:

Education example: a strong foundation

The education needed for a role at Ikea will largely depend on the exact position. Naturally graphic designers will need a bachelor’s degree in the field, while food service workers can land the job as an entry-level position. If you have education at the bachelor’s level or higher, you can leave off your high school education.

Here’s the basic format of the education section from our Ikea resume sample:

References section resume example for Ikea

For obvious reasons, the reference section in your resume is optional and is dependent on whether you have actual references from past employment positions which can favorably characterize your.

However, if you can wrangle it, some good personable references can really swing the job hunt in your favor, especially if you’ve left a good impression at your past jobs. Just make sure to ask your referenced individuals if they would mind being on your resume (and cultivate a good relationship with them beforehand).

Here’s a resume example of how to format a reference section :

What does an Ikea co-worker do?

Ikea employees, called co-workers by the company, fill a variety of roles in many different departments. Some of these areas include:

• Administrative
• Food
• Sales
• Logistics
• HR
• IT
• Finance
• Interior Design
• Marketing
• Graphic Design
   

An Ikea employee who works as a sales associate on the showroom floor may complete some or all of the following duties:

• Assist customers with finding products
• Help customers with design questions
• Answer questions related to merchandise
• Stock shelves with products
• Label items for sales and update signage
• Reorganize showroom for seasonal changes
• Complete customer transactions
• Assist customers with online orders or pickups
• Help load purchases into customer cars

Key takeaways

1. Ikea is invested in the quality of its employees, so familiarizing yourself with the brand and its values is the best first step before writing your resume.
2. Pay particular attention to the summary section since it’s the only place on your resume where you can express some personality and speak directly to your desire to work for Ikea.
3. Even if you don’t have tons of relevant work experience you can use your employment history section to highlight transferable skills and the right personality traits.
4. Make sure to follow good formatting practices like a healthy balance of white space to keep your resume highly readable and organized.
5. Ikea is one workplace where a splash of color on your resume will be appreciated, so choose a good resume design.
6. Save time by using our online resume building tool and recruiter-approved resume examples from various professional categories!