Are you one who sends a very quick ‘holding’ message for a new sit that is rapidly attracting applicants?
A quick sentence to get your foot in the door and be one of the ‘first five’ followed by a proper application message?
I am. I have to be.
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We wouldn’t want to start a trend, would we?
I’ve done that only once recently when there were 4 applicants, I then immediately sent a proper application. I didn’t get the sit
No, there is no need to.
What I do when I see something that might be nice is to open the application page and tick a date. That is enough to get a foot in the door.
Then I start reading. And in almost all cases I pull my foot back - I close that window without writing an application. This way it does not bother anybody else.
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I thought I had read on here that this tactic no longer works, on not on certain devices etc.
Yes, I do it every time, I then have time to do a bit of research and ask my husband his opinion before spending time applying ‘properly’
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If you don’t have the time to apply immediately or if you want to eliminate any chance of making a mistake and accidentally clicking off the page are two good reasons to use this method.
I would say there is no need not to.
It would be challenging to do this within the app on one device, I would not try that. If one mobile phone would be all that I had available, I might try to apply by also opening windows in web browsers.
I normally do this kind of writing tasks on my laptop. And it has worked. Once I waited with submitting the application until I could see that the listing was on “reviewing”. And that application arrived.
Yes I do this but I make sure I follow up with a full application within the hour.
No. Hasn’t been necessary for me.
I do not.
I only apply if I know I want to (and can) do the sit and I’ve read the whole listing.
Yup, sure do. With the five applicant rule there is no time to waste. Many times the listing comes up when we are on public transportation or otherwise traveling. I send a quick note that I’m traveling and that I’ll reply as soon as I can. Other times I apply and use another device to check out the details of dates and travel and then submit an application.
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I have saved listings that have posted dates. I send a brief hello and then promptly decline the application with an explanation…
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It still works for me. I think the issue is the very small chance someone submits the 5th application in the few seconds before you click the date to apply, it may not send your application. I saw something along these lines in a post a few weeks ago.
We always hit ‘apply’ right away, especially if it’s already on 4 applicants and then we look at the post. Sometimes it will say reviewing already but it always lets us go back and fill out and send the application.
We never send a ‘hold’ application, as our standard form application is only a copy and paste away. Then we only have to add a few people and animal names and a quick line that relates to their specific animals. Takes about 45 seconds.
I hear you, mine is a copy-paste with adjustments for animal names etc too, but, with central London sits that I often look for, that can absolutely make the difference between getting in or not. Some of those sits get their 5 applicants within a matter of minutes.
I don’t do this. I don’t judge those who do, as I also sometimes feel the pressure when there a 4 applicants for a new sit. But I imagine if I were the homeowner, I wouldn’t look kindly on the practice. So I don’t.
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As long as the applicant follows up with a full application within a couple of hours, I can’t see why the home owner would have any issue. Of course, if there is no follow up message, that could be annoying, but I suppose the owners would just decline the application thus opening up one ‘slot’.
If sitters would just take the time to compose a considered and well-written application, homeowners with popular listings could easily get ten applications.
The foot-in-the-door knee-jerk applications only stop other sitters from applying.
If THS would impose a minimum time (an hour maybe) before one could submit, that would solve a large part of the problem.
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I didn’t know until just recently about ticking the box and then submitting an application - good to know. I usually read the entire listing, look at pics, view the pets and then I write a proper application prior to applying.
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