Hi Andrew
We always like to give first time sitters a chance and have had a number of “first timers”. Don’t be disheartened. We’re in South Yorkshire, don’t have any sits at the moment, but look out for us, we quite often slip a cheeky last minute weekend in.
Good luck
Liz
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Hello @LizH and a big welcome to our community forum. Thankyou for reassuring Andrew that there are owner members who give sit opportunities to first timers and newcomers to the TrustedHousesitters platform.
As sitters we personally know this to be the case - we have sat for owners who always have different sitters for each of their vacations, and another where the owner, like you, wanted to give someone new a chance, and with whom they’d particularly connected with. Everyone has to start somewhere and all of our members were once that person!!
Thanks again for being so encouraging and hopefully you’ll be able to slip that weekend break in soon 
Where would you go if you can get away? In the meantime, enjoy being part of the forum and connecting with our members around the world.
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@TheMapleKiwi
I read every thing also, sometimes it takes me so long to put my application together as I want to incorporate things I have read I miss out, the HO has chosen already.
I am learning to keep my best bits on file and copy and paste when applying. 
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I won’t be applying to sit for you then - if I can’t get 1 sit, then I’m never going to reach your minimum of 10!
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That’s great to hear @LizH - I’m in North Yorkshire so I could just freewheel down the country to your house!
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@CAadventurer it is not a complete no-no if someone asks if they can bring along their own dog. I ALWAYS ask if I can bring my own dog because I have no- one to look after him. Plus he comes everywhere with me.
I can understand how smoking, or small children would be a put -off, but as long as you ask first, then you needn’t necessarily go to the bottom of the pile of possibilities.
A week or so ago there were several people on here ( sitters) who suggested to THS that it would be a very good idea if HO had the facility to declare whether they would accept one’s own dog on a sit and I personally would strongly endorse this. It would save me from at least one rejection per day.
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Hi Andrew, I haven’t gone through all the messages (sorry if my idea/s are already written)
- I wrote a wonderful profile, included pics of me with pets and even a video. This was a first step.
- Then I got 8 reviews from past employers. Also from friends and co-workers that I sit before (I was known as the pet lover at work, specially cats)
- You may have to apply first to locations that are not overly popular, you’ll have less competence and a better chance to start
I hope this helps.
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Hi @Yedah Welcome to our community forum and thank you for joining in the conversation.
Andrew has received some great advice, help and support from other members and your three point message is so very insightful, yet another great piece of very helpful and practical advice, exactly what our forum was created for … helping each other have the very best possible experience and personal success.
Thank you for joining, we hope you will enjoy connecting with other members, having great conversations and we look forward to hearing more from you and sharing in your THS journey.
Angela & The Team
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Thanks for the welcoming Angela. I really like this forum option. See you around!
Yedah
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I once put on an application that I had to google the place name as I hadn’t heard of it. The lady commented and said she was impressed that I had taken the time to do so.
Yup I secured the sit. obviously not only based on the google factor 
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UPDATE: I have now secured a sit at the end of August, and have another possible one for June - thanks for the advice everyone! 
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That is brilliant news Andrew so happy for you … thank you to all the members who have supported and helped you on the way.
We sometimes just need support, a little patience and belief that when it’s right it will happen!
Happy Saturday 
Congratulations! Please report back after your first sit and let us know how it went.
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Hello Andrew A couple of points to consider:
a. don’t take it personally and keep applying
b. be yourself and show yourself (eg photos and speak from the heart so the prospective host gains a sense of ‘who’ you are)
c. don’t be too keen… hold no attachment so you project authenticity and not desperation
d. check if you have set any expectations eg a fee, that may not be appealing to the host
e. ask a couple of good friends/ neighbours who know you to read your profile and comment honestly about how to improve it. You may find they recognise something about you that you haven’t captured, that a host would highly value
Great to ask this supportive community for advice. Good luck and keep at it! Lisa
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Don’t get down heartened. We are all having difficulty getting sits at the moment but it is getting slightly better. We are finding we are getting more return sits this year than usual which is good for an established sitter but not for someone just starting.
Have lots of pictures of you and animals on your profile, try and keep your application chatty and upbeat, talk about their pets, tell them about your experience of similar animals, talk about the area they live in, ask lots of questions and a trick we learnt very early on, finish your application with “ I hope to hear from you very soon, one way or another”. It helps to establish a conversation and when the do write back, maybe just to say sorry but we have chosen someone else, be gracious, reply with a note saying you hope they enjoy their break/holiday and you might meet sometime in the future. We have been contacted several times by people saying remember us !
But most of all don’t give up. It is a great way of meeting people and animals and a fantastic way to travel.
Elsie
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Hi Andrew,
Don’t give up, my partner and I had 32 rejections before we got our first sit and I’m expecting more in the future, you will not be the right fit for a lot of people.
Advice. Read the details three or four times and try and pull out the jist of what they are looking for and then try and read between the lines and see what they are not saying.
What to do then? Sit and think about it for an hour or so and then write down on a piece of paper how you personality and experience will fit into what they are looking for. I think the three most important things people are looking for are their pets are going to be well looked after, the house is not going to be trashed ( your not a party animal) and the house will be secure if you are not there at any time.
Every sit is different, every person is different so don’t send out a standard application with just a few tweaks, make it personal for every time you apply and just keep on applying, you’ll get a sit eventually.
Learn from every rejection and keep getting back up and trying again.
Best of luck mate.
Rob.
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UPDATE 2:
It appears housesits are like buses, none for ages and then several come along at once! I have now secured 5 sits in the next 4 months with a mix of pets - I’ve even been contacted by someone wanting me to sit for them - unfortunately, I had to say no as it clashed with another sit.
I’m now looking forward to exploring new areas in England with a whole variety of dogs - I’ll probably leave the fish in their tank though, not sure how I’d put a lead on them! 
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Andrew: Great news! Travel opportunities are definitely picking up. Keep us posted on your adventures. Good luck.
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Well done Andrew! Persistence pays off.
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Hi Rob, welcome to our community forum and thank you for your great, practical feedback for Andrew, you are so right every sit and every person is different and it’s about finding the right sit, not just a sit.
We’ve all had rejections the advice is not to take it personally and just remember it will happen and when it does it’s a very special feeling when the “We would like you …” drops into your messages.
It took me 6 weeks and numerous applications to get my first THS sit that was 10 years, 5 continents and numerous pet, people and places later … and yes I still get rejections, especially during these times but the situation is getting better with more and more owners gaining the confidence to travel once more.
We would love to hear more about your THS story and journey, I hope you will share some of your experiences, Enjoy the conversations, connecting with other members and once again thank you for your encouragement and support for another community member.
Angela & The Team