Market manager 'positively surprised' by wave of applications
Senior management positions for Ikea's upcoming store in New Zealand are receiving hundreds of applications ahead of the furniture giant's opening this year, according to reports.
Johanna Cederlöf, Ikea New Zealand market manager, said the 20 senior management positions that they have fulfilled so far received between 700 and 800 applications.
Cederlöf said they were "positively surprised" by the number of applications, Radio New Zealand reported.
"We knew that the figures would be high but this high is really positive and it gives us hope that for the next roles we'll receive an even higher amount of applications," the manager told the news outlet.
Ikea New Zealand is planning to recruit 400 people for its upcoming outlet, with many of the positions to open for hiring starting in April.
These positions include roles in sales, food, interior design, warehouse, customer service, logistics, and among others, according to Cederlöf.
"We are focusing on recruiting for long term here locally ... people who have lived here, know the market and can support us establishing our business," she told RNZ.
She added that employees will be paid a living wage as a starting point and will also receive five weeks of paid annual leave.
"We've been building a strong employment offer with some policies and benefits that might deviate from what New Zealand is used to," she said.
Ikea has invested $407 million to put up the Auckland store in Sylvia Park. It is expected to open by the end of the year.
Its upcoming mass recruitment comes as experts expect a tough job market for New Zealand this year, with the unemployment rate predicted to peak just under 5.5% around the middle of the year.
