Been doing a lot of catch-up reading & have seen several HO comments in various posts that say “the sitter obviously hasn’t read my listing”.
I find this important, as:
It must surely red-flag an applicant who wants a “job” no matter what, doesn’t it? Or,
Are sitters panic-applying now because if a sit has 3 or 4 applicants then they could miss the boat? Or,
Like me, sitters get really excited about a gorgeous [insert pet here] and can’t wait to apply (which feeds into the point above)
What do owners do when applicants are not following the plot? What bad examples have you seen? (Redacted of course!)
@Saltrams it is definitely the panic-applying option…the need to be within the first 5 applicants. No time to read and consider from all angles. On 2-3 occasions I’ve had to withdraw my application after having time to carefully read through the requirements and dates/location and see if it can actually work with our schedule. Embarrassing, but yeah, that’s what you get.
I agree with @botvot - sitters are now panic applying - I definitely am. Just this morning I applied to a sit that already had 4 applicants so it got a quick cut-and-paste application to grab the last spot - it’s always a bit nerve-racking re-reading after sending it to be sure it didn’t contain any information from the previous sit that I applied for. Update - we got accepted!!
I agree with what @Colin and @botvot have said as I am doing the same and recently made a grave typo with the HO’s name. I quickly followed back up with an apology! I now do make sure to have a separate tab open so I can read in detail as I am sending my application because I want to make sure the sit I am applying for is 100% or at least 98% suitable for myself and my family. As a Homeowner I can forgive the fact that someone may not have read my entire profile but what is off-putting are the applicants that want to have a video chat - and at that point in time have still not read our profile. That quickly gets them removed off the list.
Agreed. Since 9 out of 10 sits in my next desired location in another timezone are ‘reviewing applications’ by the time I pick up the alert when I wake up, if I see something that looks like it might be a good fit, I’ll have a ‘canned’ application in asap and follow up with specifics as soon as I sort out what they might be.
We are not in a high demand location, so sitters do not need to rush their application. We just received (and declined) an application this morning for our Jan-Feb 2023 sit listing because the long application letter ignored items that we stated clearly in our listing.
Sorry to hear that @KenandMary1998: I’ve just looked and yours is the most comprehensive & detailed listing I have ever seen! And don’t do your area down, it sounds amazing & should be really popular.
I feel that your applicant probably fell into my category of chancers who just need somewhere to crash rather than a 5-limit panic application
Never fear, you have discarded the time wasters. Next one will be perfect. Sorry, purrfect
@Saltrams, I agree. The listing was perfectly written. You can tell they are also sitters and have experience in what is important to a sitter. Clear directions are lovely too.
I love the cut and paste option, but I always tailor my applications to suit the needs of the pets in question especially responsibilities, even using key words like “extremely fluffy cats” that the HO has used.
A “pro forma template” is a good idea, save it as a word document and tailor it. I love the spellcheck and grammar check options.
I have learnt from each application I have sent through, especially when the listing indicates “family friendly” and I have to justify why we would be a good match and all that.
