Once a year Butlins holds a wave of auditions for its famous Redcoats, whittling down a database of around 500 applicants to 30. Interviews with up to 100 applicants at a time incorporate icebreaking group exercises, a short one-to-one interview and a talent spot.
While it’s common to get pushy types jostling for attention in the group activities, they’ll often come unstuck in the personality interview and with customer service questions, says Butlin’s entertainment experience manager Jamie Thomson.
“Sometimes I’m really humbled, when an 18 or 19-year-old comes in - they’ve only worked in McDonald’s and they feel that’s not representative of being a Butlin’s Redcoat. But they actually have great customer skills.
“Many a time these are the people who really stand out and shine, and guests have great relationships with them. If they’ve got a hidden talent you can bring to the table, that’s a bonus.”
Influenced by shows like The Voice and The X Factor, singing is the most popular talent would-be Redcoats like to display but ventriloquists, magicians and poets have also auditioned.
“All we’re trying to do is find that nugget that we can work with,” says Thomson.
But he has also pulled the plug on some disaster auditions. “We’ve had two or three do a sketch and use the ‘F’ word. If they think that’s appropriate at the interview stage, then what’s to stop them going out and doing that in front of an audience?”
And if a would-be Redcoat has two left feet, and their singing would scare a cat, he has words of reassurance: “Don’t worry if you can’t sing or dance, we want to see you, your personality and your potential.” And when nerves are an issue, he says, come with an open mind, enjoy it and let yourself go.
