So you want to work for a visitor attraction?

6 Dec 2021 / Artisan People

The visitor attractions we work with can be anything from castles, historic houses and gardens, to theme parks and zoos. The main reason people want to visit such places is because they’re looking for an enjoyable day out with family or friends. They want to be educated and entertained, and spend time with friends and family. They may also just be looking for a pleasant way of spending time outside on a warm day or inside on a wet day.

It’s all about personality
It’s all about passion

What roles are available?

We recruit for temporary and permanent jobs at visitor attractions around the country. We’re always on the lookout for seasonal staff and people who can provide short-term cover, as well as permanent staff. Visitor attractions are open seven days a week all year round, with some late-night opening hours.

The roles available vary considerably and include ticketing, sales, retail, promotions, ushering, queue busting, security, and cloakroom attendance.

Temporary roles are perfect for people who have other commitments, whether they’re studying at college or university, they need a flexible way to earn some money while they pursue other work such as acting, or they want to fit paid work around their lifestyle, e.g. parents and people who’ve retired. Temporary and seasonal roles are available, including staffing for exhibitions, front of house, retail and hospitality, as well as roles in ticketing, visitor hosts, security and door supervisors, and tour guides.

When it comes to permanent roles, there are more opportunities, including bar and hospitality staff, project managers, digital marketing experts, general managers and accountants.

It’s all about personality

If you love people, you’ll love working for a visitor attraction. Most of the work we have available is in customer-facing roles. Therefore it’s hugely important that you understand the importance of great customer service. People visit attractions because they want to have a good time and create wonderful memories. So whatever your job role, it’s your responsibility to ensure they have a great experience. This means that even if you’ve been standing on your feet all day and you’ve just welcomed the last visitors of the day, you must be as positive, energetic and enthusiastic as you were with the first. So you’ll need a strong work ethic, and you’ll need to be motivated, outgoing, helpful, willing to go the extra mile, and keen to do your best at all times.

It’s all about passion

You don’t have to have any formal qualifications, but it helps if you’re interested in the subject matter so you can talk meaningfully to visitors. Facts can be learned, but enthusiasm comes from the heart, and that’s what makes the difference. If you’re working at a historic house, for example, having an interest in history will go a long way to helping you provide a great customer experience. Even better if you have a personal connection with the place – if you visited as a child, for example, you can tell people what excited you most about it and transfer that enthusiasm to others. We’ll also expect you to do more specific research about the attraction so you can talk knowledgeably about it and help stimulate people’s interest.