"At Ikea, we need people who are adaptable to change, flexible and who enjoy their work"
23 de March de 2018
23 de March de 2018
A large range of companies took part in Talent Week 2018 at EAE Business School. Throughout the week of 5th to 8th March, more than a hundred leading companies in their sectors presented their young talent programs to the School students. The companies participated for a range of objectives, including the opportunity to present their philosophy and values, give the young talents advice for their professional future and publicize vacant positions, all with the aim of attracting the brightest talent.
This gathering of leading companies included Ikea. The famous Swedish company visited the School's Madrid Campus to present its way of working and the various vacant positions currently available. The session was run by Verónica González, an HR Generalist at Ikea, and Andrés, from the Logistics Department. The presentation was a big hit among the students who packed out the Event Hall.
To begin the session, Verónica and Andrés asked the students what expectations they had of the presentation. The students participated a great deal, showing a lot of interest in the company's way of working, what the selection processes are like, and what positions are currently available. To give the participants an overview of Ikea, the guest speakers explained that they work in the Service Office, a unit that is a hub that connects the global part with the store, emphasizing that "all the units have a great deal of autonomy, but it is essential to be achieve consistency at a global level".
Ikea's Young Talent program offers students training, enabling them to put what they learn into practice every day. In addition, "you can carry out your own project under the supervision of a tutor". This project varies depending on the type of department you work in, and it can run for between 6 and 12 months. "It is important to distinguish between an intern and an employee" because, in the case of such projects, it is the employee who bears responsibility, not the student. However, "it is essential to achieve a win-win situation in which both the company and the student benefit from the learning process".
Two selection processes for joining Ikea
The selection process to take part in Ikea's Young Talent program is run twice a year, with an April and September session. The selection process for April is already under way, while students will have to wait until May to register for the September process. "We recommend registering on the Ikea portal and making sure that you stand out from the crowd", advised Verónica and Andrés, encouraging them to differentiate themselves from the rest during the selection process because "we receive thousands of CVs each day". The selection process will be run by HR and the department that you are applying for. They added that "you may have to have more than one interview".
In terms of the way it works, the Swedish company has an open space approach and you spend most of the time away from your desk. "It is a very Swedish way of working in which we do everything by consensus". One of the multinational's strengths has always been teamwork, as all the projects require the support of various departments.
Vacancies presented by Ikea during Talent Week
The two professionals emphasized that the number of vacancies varies, and positions are currently only available of the departments de Logistics, Web Analysis, HR and Interior Design. Andrés, an expert in logistics at Ikea, explained that the process implemented at Ikea is very complex and that it is being improved every day. Within the eCommerce department, there are vacant positions in the Web Analysis area, specializing in "all the data side of things, but within the commercial field". In the HR department, they need a person to assess the whole CV screening process in order to improve it. The Interior Design vacancy is in the Marketing department "because it forms part of a branding process", and the person selected will have to have a firm grasp of social media and the world of interior design.
Before answering the student's individual questions, Verónica and Andrés emphasized to the students that, to work at this multinational, they need people with "the capacity to adapt to change and be flexible, and that you carry all the experiences you have had in life with you". The people selected must also be able to work as a team and, most importantly, enjoy their work.