I need advise on navigating the application process. We have had six or seven applicants and are trying to weed through to find the best sitter for our puppies.
My concern is one has canceled, the other can make our dates except for the first day we are gone and the third does not fit all of our requests. I have at least four applicants and I have been reaching out to for the past 2 days (trying to take into account their location) and nobody is messaging me back so we can have a quick conversation.
Is there something I can do better to be able to get the applicants to respond to our request so we can confirm someone to sit in April. Please help, thank you.
Do you have what’s app numbers for any of them as that can be quicker? The THS app and system can be clunky and slow. Also these sitters will all have jobs, other sits, busy lives, different time zones etc so you need to take that into account. If there are some definite “no’s” then decline those and open up some more spaces. With the ones that you want to engage with, write a note along the lines of “We are keen to firm up our sitter asap and need to connect. Please respond within 24 hours or we will assume you are no longer interested. Our what’s app number is… Thank you.” and see if that galvanises them! Best of luck, it’s always a bit of a juggling process at the start.
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That is weird behaviour.
Could these be bots (computer programs) that send out applications? Without mentioning your name, or your pet’s name?
That is great @Simonetta55 that you have already received so many applications. You must have a great listing .
How long has it been since they applied ?
We have WhatsApp. Is there a place where I can find their WhatsApp number on the app?
Thank you so much for responding. It does not look like bots since there are customized messages in regards to my puppies.
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It has been 5 days. Since this is our first time on THS we wanted to at least have a phone call or video chat prior to accepting any application.
We have spoken to one individual and that is under consideration. I went ahead and declined two applications that have not responded. Hopefully I can find somebody and secure their application today. I’m concerned about just “blind” clicking and not meeting them beforehand.
We live in Orlando, Florida, the land of Disney World people tend to always want to come here. 
I want to validate your instincts; I would absolutely have a video chat before accepting anyone. I have been sitting full-time since 2016, and I have never accepted a sit for anyone I haven’t looked in the eye, either in person or on video. Regardless of reviews, it is important to feel out a vibe with someone and have a chance to ask questions and answer their questions.
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@Simonetta55 we are sitters and we also always request a video call before confirming to sit.
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No, unfortunately not. Just if you’d swapped numbers with them already. And, FWIW we never take a sit without a video call first.
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If your listing is paused because you have reached 5 applicants, you need to manually unpause the listing in addition to declining some of the applicants. Many people (understandably) think that declining applicants automatically reopens the listing nut it doesn’t. Keep declining and unpausing the listing until you find someone suitable.
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Canceling and withdrawing applications are two different things. Cancelling is when you confirm a sitter. The sitters then confirms they will do the sit and then the sitter contacts you that they can’t do it. Sometimes in the course of talking to people, things will come up or sitters might choose another sit and withdraw the application. That’s normal. This is a matching site and both sides need to be really comfortable for it to work.
If people aren’t responding, you should simply decline them, unpause your listing, and get more applicants. You can send the one’s you declined a message that you are declining because they didn’t respond and you need to see more applicants, but if they are still interested they should message you again with any questions about the sit and if they are interested you can send them a private invitation.
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Hello @Simonetta55 and welcome.
I’d like to underscore @Lassie’s post.
My advice is not to settle on anyone that you don’t feel 100% about after contact is finally had.
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