Being Bookings Coordinator, Q&A with Lilly Hannell

Here is our last (at the moment anyway :) ) blog providing an insight into the careers of some of our most experienced members of staff at the Albany. This week we're talking to Booking Coordinator Lilly Hannell. Lilly is the first point of call for all hire enquiries, responsible for hire contracts and scheduling everything in...

How would you describe your job?
Challenging.

How did you get into the arts, and this particular career?
I always loved theatre so started working for an Actors Agent, and then because of that experience I got a job at the Birmingham Rep. I left the arts for a while but missed it too much and got a job at the Albany.

What do you like the most about your job?
I like my work colleagues, the flexible working hours and the fact we have a large garden.

What is the trickiest part of your job?
Dealing with the amount of enquiries and the level of hand holding people require just to book a room. It can often take from between 2 and 4 emails (on occasion more) to get someone to give you all the information you need, and then they end up changing their booking anyway.

Do you have any advice for others who want to pursue similar careers?
Be sure you love what you do, working in the arts doesn’t pay a lot and the working hours are often long. Job descriptions can be fuzzy at best and you always end up doing more than you’re meant to.

Thanks Lilly!