We are brand new sitters. I have been applying for advertised sits. We have been rejected by a few but also lucky enough to be accepted for a few.
However, today we have had an owner directly contact us via trusted housesitters asking if we can sit for them. Why us? Why they would ask us, with no reviews over the thousands of other more experienced sitters.? The sit was not local to us…how would we be on their radar?
Do THS make sitter suggestions? Is there a filter system?
How does it work - We are delighted it’s going so well and extremely flattered but totally mystified by an owner asking us without advertising the sit generally!
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Hi Colin,
Welcome to the forum and to THS!
Do you live near the person who has invited you? We’ve had invitations from people who are within a day or two’s drive, but not further. They can search for sitters based on location so maybe that’s why their chose you?
If not, maybe you just have a super profile and look like great potential sitters!
Maybe they have a sit that’s a little more difficult to fill for one reason or another.
Maybe they are new to the site and don’t realize they can also post the listing.
There’s lots of reasons why they might contact you directly - take it when you can get it - look at it closely and see if you’re a good match!
Congrats for getting your first few sits booked - it’s always great to get a few sits, and hopefully 5 star reviews, under your belt!
We are flattered but stumped - the sit was hundreds of miles away - not until July - just the normal 1 cat one dog. I wondered of THS suggest new sitters to get them going . ?
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HI Provence - we are already booked so had to decline. I did sent a message to ask but they haven’t replied.
I’m not losing sleep over it but am curious to know whether there is an algorithm that makes suggestions of new sitters to give them a boost- but if there is, why would it suggest sotters that are not available? - Maybe a glitch ?
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Hello,
I’m also wondering how it works for invitations, I was recently invited to Washington while I live in France and in full travel restrictions and lockdow. I hope they keep me for another time.
In June I go to the Alps following an invitation, I will ask the owners how they found me
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I understand that would be the expected way
But for us - we are new, have no reviews, and live hundreds of miles from them? -
If I was looking I wouldn’t pick us! 
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Sitters are starting to get many direct invitations BECAUSE they have saved “favored” a homeowners post. So if you browse listings and click that little heart, the HO is made aware and assumes you are interested. If they like your profile and/or reviews, they might send you an invite. It seems to be happening to many of us and for me, this was the reason. This has changed how many hearts I click on. I use to click on many that I thought looked great, but now I’m going to be much more selective as I don’t want to get HO reaching out thinking I’m readily available.
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That’s something I have not done but it’s worth knowing - Thanks
Then you must have a well written profile and should be happy receiving invitations. Once confirmed, (especially when I was starting out), I’d always ask the HO, why they selected me over the other 40 applicants. 
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I am not sure because I was contacted for sits that I had not selected with the little heart (In my favorites). Probably a mix between answers of Petermac and Provence and favorites
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Maybe it was just totally random and will never happen again. It is tough for THS to get it right as everyone wants to be on the top of the lists so a totally random constantly changing system seems the fairest to me
I had no idea that was the case and will definitely make me reconsider ‘favouriting’ sits!!
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I would love to get more invitations to sit.
Other than favouriting interesting listings and changing my profile frequently, is there any advice as to how I can make my profile more ‘invitation’ friendly?
Thanks in advance 
Hi @Elle … I haven’t seen your profile but what about adding something in the first paragraph of one of the sections (in the area that’s seen when viewed by owners), to say something like “Very happy to receive personal invitations”. You could try it and change it back if it makes no difference 
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Thanks @Vanessa_A
I’ll definitely give that a go.
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I had the same thoughts before. I’ve been invited to a number of sits now and notice that sometimes I also receive invites in the same locations from different home owners, which suggest to me that my profile is popping up for them somehow. I’d be curious to know how/why. I also wonder what HO’s can filter for when they search the sea of pet sitters, apart from location and dates.
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