Thank you, too. The premise that we have the ability to choose how we respond is powerful and something I would like to hone. Definitely food for thought!
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For many years, I had this quote taped on a wall so I would see it every day:
There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.
William Shakespeare
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It doesn’t matter to me whether I get a personalized rejection msg. I appreciate hosts who act promptly.
I doubt that, @Newt , since this is the advice available to hosts from THS:
‘We would always encourage you, as a pet parent, to send a courtesy decline message to the sitter and thank them for their application. You never know; you might want to invite them for a future sit.’
I suspect the auto decline feature is primarily to close applications in the system, but THS still urges pet parents to send a ‘courtesy decline message’, and would emphasise the first word of that: ‘courtesy’.
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Do home owners get reminders to respond to applications?
It’s ridiculous how many don’t respond. And this is with only 5 applications limit.
I even send follow up messages 2 days later. I can see they’ve read my messages but don’t respond.
It’s really not that hard to click Decline. I don’t need a message back, just a response to my application, even if it’s a decline.
I wish THS would introduce responsiveness percentage…thay way I’ll know not to have high expectations and would keep applying to others.
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It may not have been the intention but it is in the design.
@chrisinspain There certainly used to be an issue where if you sent a message along with the decline (as either a sitter or a host), the message would sometimes disappear and only the decline would send. I’m not sure if it was something that happened every time or intermittently.
Ever since I found this out, I have always (as a sitter) sent a reply to explain why I was declining the invitation to sit, waited until I could see it had been read, and then clicked on the “Decline” button. So I am not sure if it is still an issue as I haven’t dared risk it!
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After 8 years sitting on THS, I’ve just come to accept that the majority of sit applications will be met with either silence or an unexplained rejection. You just have to be a little detached during the application process, and appreciate the ones who come back with a reply or apology when they have to reject applications.
I did find that as my number of reviews grew (just past 60 now i think), and looking for sits with certain characteristics, my success rate of either receiving a reply with questions or immediate approval greatly improved.
Just keep at it and move on when an application doesn’t pan out. Put out your availability dates as well, I’ve found a number of sits that way when a HO sends me an invitation.
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It’s interesting (though a shame) that you note the majority of applications are met with silence/ unexplained rejection. I’ve actually noticed the number of non-responses has grown as I’ve increased my experience and reviews, likely just to be a coincidence but I think it only happened once last year. In saying that, I’ve been expanding my search area to cover places I haven’t visited before more recently. Regardless, not much that can be done about it and, like you, I take it as a very good sign when someone responds as soon as they’ve read my application!
It’s the 21st century, sadly. Now, unless there’s something to be gained, ghosting/no shows/silence is the mode of choice. This is why my local doctors’ surgery has a sign up in the waiting area, begging patients to phone and let them know if they won’t be attending an appointment: In the last month, 40% of booked appointments were no-shows… While there are people out there desperate to see a doctor. I know THS is a different situation, but the attitude is the same: "If there’s nothing in it for me, why should I bother to make a courteous gesture? "
I agree totally with you. To my mind, it’s rude. Sure, if someone’s sent a generic application with no personalisation, OK, ignore it. But if they’ve clearly taken time and trouble to apply specifically for your vacancy (as I always do) how hard is it, really, just to send a polite one-line explanation of the rejection?
But then, as I say, that’s the 21st century.
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Completely agree its rude. This seems to be a common thing across different apps. Im a member of a few apps and many dont respond or take their ad down.
Its happy that much i never wait on a response from an owner i will apply for a rfew house sits (even if they cross over) then if an owner replies and the sit isn’t suitable or no repsonse from the owner we have other options. As a sitter though i make sure i get back to them within 24 hours, if we feel there are red flags after the meet and greet we go away and think about it… but always respond within an hour.
I had one home owner in auckland that wouldnt give me her address, she said let me know when you get close andbgave me the suburb and that was it haha
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I’m very new to this but a box definitely popped up and I typed in a message to say thank you and please consider us next time. It was only when I read this thread that I checked and saw nothing. I’ve now gone back and apologised to them individually. I’ll be doing this in future!
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I’ve been monitoring a couple of sits I applied on earlier this month. After 10 days of not hearing anything from one homeowner, I sent a nice email asking if they were pursuing another applicant and if I didn’t hear back I would withdraw my application. The homeowner read my email immediately and never responded. They are still “reviewing” applicants and the sit starts in 2 days! I find this so discourteous. I’ll be very curious to see who eventually sits for them if anyone! The other homeowner keeps posting various dates and deleting them and the ones that are posted are still in the “reviewing” mode. I’m a longtime sitter on THS with almost 50 reviews so I feel like both these homeowners have lost out on someone who truly goes over the top in looking after pets and the home. Let’s try and have some common courtesy!
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A very similar thing happened to me, though for a sit for next year. I eventually withdrew my sit, without any response to my application nor follow-up email (although both were read almost immediately). The sit has been in ‘reviewing applications’ for probably two months now. As you say, it’s their loss. The HOs will be hard pushed to find someone with your level of experience.
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For unsolicited invites, I write a decline msg and hit the decline button right after. Hosts must be getting my msgs, because they usually reply to say thanks for responding (quickly).
With sits I apply for, I withdraw within 48 hours if I don’t hear back that a host wants to set up a video chat. I figure if they can’t act quickly, I’m not interested, because I partner best with folks who have their act together and communicate promptly. And if they don’t want me to sit, shrug. It’s supposed to be mutual matching, so it’s par for the course that not everyone will match.
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It’s funny that people will scold you for not shrugging when someone behaves discourteously. I didn’t say in my original post that I was upset, I just said I thought it was rude and it is rude. I think this culture is very much based on courtesy, fairness, and a reasonably equal exchange, so disrespecting people who’ve taken the time to apply for a sit really feels counter to the spirit of things. Anyway, thanks for your reply, Jen. It was much appreciated by me.
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To us, no response sends a very strong message. We withdraw our application if we’ve not heard from the pet parent within 48 hours.
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Thank you @DebraAT for such a kind response. Yes, I do find it odd that messages in support of the OP or similarly innocuous posts are often criticised on this forum. I rarely post here now, seems more effort than its worth to be frank.
I agree completely with your original post - such behaviour is rude. While there are evidently circumstances in which this can’t be avoided, there are way too many people who ‘decline’ without acknowledgement to suggest this is always the case. Like @Happypets I am now happy to withdraw within a short time frame if an application goes unanswered. I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to hope for acknowledgement from HOs after you have taken the time to write a considered application. If this isn’t forthcoming, regardless of the reasons, I know this is not a sit I wish to proceed with!
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