Peace! Everyone, I just got started on TH. And wanted to intro myself. I am so excited to join this community as a sitter! I am a musician, fashionista, and nonprofit leader and I love a change of scenery and good food.
Any tips for getting sits in NYC close to Manhattan and or Brooklyn this summer?
(Edited to remove sit dates request as per the posting terms)
Welcome to THS!
Sits in NYC are very popular, and therefore can be a bit more competitive. But, you never know what people are looking for in a sitter, and not having experience does not automatically mean you shouldn’t expect to land sits in these more in-demand areas. For example, the host may share your same interest in music or fashion, and feel a connection to you.
Hosts are only able to receive 5 applications before the sit goes into ‘reviewing’ which means that you may not always get a chance to apply to every listing in a particular area. The good news is that many people in popular areas often need to re-list their listing at least one or two more times as they may not get any suitable applicants in the first 5.
There is an option to create saved searches–a sit in a particular area for a particular date range for example-- and you will get notified when something fits that criteria. But from what I have seen, they are not always in real-time. If you are set on a specific area for a specific time frame, you’ll probably want to check the listings more frequently, and not rely on these notifications.
You can also search this area and see sits that are not currently seeking a sitter, and ‘favorite’ those listings. Then if the host posts new dates, you can get a notification. These seem to be closer to ‘real time’ than the saved searches from what I have observed.
Regardless of where you are looking to sit, I would offer a few tips for your applications:
Don’t create a super-generic application message. Many hosts are turned off by these cut-and-paste type messages that are not personalized at all. At the very least, address the host and pets by name.
Make sure the message reads as if you actually read their listing. For example, if it seems important the sitter is able to meet a particular need, note that you can meet that need. For example, if they say it is important you let the dog sleep on the bed with you, you can mention that you are okay with that, provided you actually are and will honor that request.
Because you never know how long people take to respond, don’t hesitate to apply to more than one sit with similar dates, especially in a high demand area like NYC. Some are very quick while other applications may sit there for days or longer without being read.
Be timely in your responses if hosts get in touch–within a day max but sooner if possible. If you are applying to an area with lots of interest, people really don’t need to wait around for sitters to get back to them, and can easily re-list or go to another applicant who also has potential. The chances of them having their heart set on a brand new member with no reviews, so they are happy to wait around, are probably slim. So you don’t want to risk getting passed up.
You can get notifications of new messages on the app, but some people say they don’t get them properly, so it can’t hurt to keep an eye on the email address you used to register.
I know when people are new, and especially when they are really wanting to go to more popular locales, it can be tempting to apply to any and all sits in that area, and take any opportunity you are offered
But do your best to avoid applying to and/or taking sits where you feel there are any red flags, where you have any intuitive sense it may not be a good fit, where you feel you don’t have the desire or capabilities to carry out any of the listed requests or responsibilities.
Simply being able to be in the area won’t be worth it if you don’t enjoy the sit; and by taking on a sit that you know ahead of time may be a bad match, you have a higher risk of getting a bad review, which can complicate getting more sits in the future.
Another tip: your chances get much better after your first review. Easiest and quickest way to get one is to apply to some short last-minute sits with few other applicants.
Great advice! Working on that now! Thank you @pietkuip !
Great advice and feedback definitely taking these items into consideration moving forward.
You are very welcome!