It is not that bad. My first sit was great home in Brussels in a nice neighbourhood with two pleasant dogs. But it was a Christmas sit, those are easier to get. With that one review, my acceptance rate went up right away.
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No stages for me. I have consistently done similar sits near loads of amenities. I’ve stuck with sitting for about a week or two. I’ve always looked for thoughtful hosts who understand reciprocity and hospitality. I look for similar pets — small and easy to manage. Only one or two, unless it’s one dog and two cats.
I joined about three years ago and the first sit I accepted was unsolicited — the hosts must’ve seen my sitter profile surface algorithmically. They invited me for a six-week sit on the West Coast, across the country from me. Two easy dogs, who needed no walking, because they were seniors who’d had back surgery. Beautiful home with three guest rooms to choose among, private bathroom. Gorgeous landscaped yard. Use of a late model car. Their neighborhood was upscale, near lots of amenities and the beach. I asked them to split the sit, because I didn’t want to be away from home that long. They obliged. Picked me up at the airport. Welcomed me with cocktails and dinner. Invited me to eat whatever I wanted to from a robust supply of food. They also had a weekly cleaner and gardener.
And the first sit that I did that I had applied for was likewise across the country. A week long and I piggybacked other sits along the West Coast.
All my sits have been good, with thoughtful hosts. One home was dirty in the kitchen and dining room, but they had clearly tidied up a lot for me throughout the house. We just happen to have different standards for cleanliness.
That sit taught me to look for specific references to cleanliness, in writing in reviews. That’s the one change I’ve made in screening sits.
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I’m a little older than 21! 
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That was not my experience at all. I got the first sit I applied for and lined up three great sits before I got my first review. None were short or local or in any way undesirable. They ranged from 2-6 weeks. One of those first three sits is one I return to once year because I really enjoy the location and the host is wonderful.
The biggest impediment to getting sits in prime locations is the 5 app rule. Those sits get 5 applicants in minutes. If you don’t happen to be on the website or app when it gets posted, you don’t ever see it so there is never any opportunity to apply. Notifications are useless for sits in certain cities because the notification doesn’t come until the sit is already reviewing.
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@PollyJ there are only a small percentage of sitters overall that are looking for long sits (1month + ) .
If you search for long sits in London , use the filter functions- and sort by distance . Long sits will also help you with your plans to sit full time .
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:
The advice generally given these days, as the best way to get started, is to apply for short, local, less desirable sits to build up your review count & reputation.
But like several other seasoned sitters have mentioned- this was not our experience at all.
Our first sit was in Perth, Australia (applied to from Bali) and we are English/German. It was 4 weeks long, 2 easy cats and by the sea.
I.e It was International, long, desirable and easy! The exact opposite of what’s recommended. Perhaps the main advantage was that it was Christmas when sitters are in highest demand. Christmas is a very good time to get started.
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I have had the same problem, declined every time. I have extensive experience with animals, I am a horse trainer, International Horse Show Judge and have dogs, cats, birds, horses too for over 40 years’ worth of experience. I know you have to build your sits, but someone has to at least give you a chance. I also use Airbnb, which I know is a different type of platform, but I have been with them for many years with excellent feed back. It is discouraging, not even to get your foot in the door.
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With such experience, you should be getting bites. If not, your profile and/or applications might need improvement and/or you’re not doing well on video chats. If you like, you can share a link to your sitter profile by adding it to your forum profile. Then ask for feedback from folks in the forum.
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Very interesting comments and something I hadn’t given a thought to. My husband and I are exactly the people you are referring to, repeat returners! You have made me consider our actions and, although we enjoy our repeats very much, we would be willing to go along with ‘you’ve sat x number of times for this pet owner, let someone else have a chance’ attitude.
Having said that, we are sitting one of our favourite places at the moment, due to return mid June and the owners would like us back next January.
You have raised a very valid point.
I’m a combined member and frankly you aren’t taking away anyone’s opportunity by doing a return sit. It’s work to find a sitter even if you live in a place that’s desirable. It is highly unlikely that anyone is going to get my sit without some problem-free THS reviews. I’d imagine that London sits are also like that. Even if a “favorite” return sitter wasn’t available, that doesn’t increase the odds of the OP getting the sit without a track record of problem free site reviews. When I’m unable to find a repeat sitter or someone previously vetted who didn’t wind up with the sit, and I have to publish a listing, it’s work for me that I’d rather not do, and I don’t always wind up picking from the first five people who apply. It’s work!
Most homeowners would prefer to have a return sitter they can trust. They understand that that isn’t always going to happen on THS. It isn’t even likely to happen, but sometimes things work out and it does. There is nothing wrong with that.
Think of it as a hotel that is often booked and maybe some return guests know the owner and the owner can maybe find something for them.
I also sit and am almost never able to come back when invited because I only do a few sits a year, but if I were sitting full time, there are sits I’d love to go back to. I understand the frustration of finally getting an application in for that hard to get sit only to be declined because “A previous sitter is getting the sit,” but that’s just how things work. Nobody is guarranteed a sit.
More than one person has suggested the OP link their profile and maybe get some advice on sprucing it up.
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Why would you give up a repeat sit you love with hosts who love having you? You are paying good money to have full access to any sit you like! There are so many sits and most are not repeated by the same sitter. From what I read on the forum most travelling sitters like variety and change. It’s only the special few that find the perfect sit they can’t resist doing again and again. And why not?!
The vast majority of our 130+ sits have been one time only but we have 4 sits we’ve have done 3 times each- two because the hosts always ask us back and the other 2 because they fitted perfectly in our travel plans! But 3x each is probably enough for us now!
And we have a 3 month sit booked in where their previous 4 long sits were all done by the same couple!
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I agree. As in other aspects of life where there’s some kind of competition, we all have to improve our own chances by getting better at things and enduring the early frustrating stages, sometimes this can mean “to sell our profile” better, hence the suggestions to share the profile.
I don’t think the “it’s not fair” argument would go very far with a hesitant host.
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Hi @mhhorses
It took me 23 applications to get my first sit. It’s matter of being persistent with applying for all local, last minute and low applicant sits.
I have now done 28 sits. Good luck.
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