Hi, we have our first listing live, we have one applicant who is also new to the site, with no references, what are your experiences like with sitters who have not done this before as an owner do you have any advice?
Everyone has to start somewhereâŚ
That said, Iâve tended to decline sitters with no references or reviews (and have explained to them that they may have more success if they add at least external references to their profile).
If their profile read well and they lived close enough to be able to meet in person before we confirmed the sit, Iâd consider it.
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I joined a year ago and couldnât apply for any sits until i had two references.
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@mikehubbardphot do you mean no references or no reviews - just clarifying- as new sitters wonât have reviews but usually do have at least one external referee who can sometimes be contacted .
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When I joined, one did not need references. They do not carry that much weight.
New members can add their profile links on AirBnb and on LinkedIn. One could also in the application give oneâs full name, social media profiles, etc.
That kind of thing is mostly about establishing oneâs general credibility.
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If they have no reviews @mikehubbardphot then they should have some references otherwise theyâre not really trying hard enough to show their pet and home skills at this early stage. They do carry weight IMHO & can attest to someoneâs character. Everyone has to start somewhere. Do a video call if you like their application and see how you both feel. #newbiesunite
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Weâre sitters with 20+ 5* reviews, but I always say the same, go with your heart, itâs a feeling, itâs a connection, itâs not necessarily about the number of reviews. Do you feel like they are the perfect sitter for you? If not, they arenât the right fit. Trust your intuition, itâs likely to be the right decision.
We only started about a year ago (we love it), but we started with zero reviews as I didnât see the point in even getting references from friends and family as they are totally biased, and plus weâre in our 50âs and 60âs so that felt a little silly to get biased references, but fortunately we âclickedâ with certain owners straight away, so trust your intuition.
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Totally agree, you get a feeling how the sit will go and usually proves to be correct.
We joined a year ago too and couldnât apply until we had two references, its really strange.
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I disagree. I think the majority of HOs favour people with reviews of previous sits, and this is understandable. AirBnB reviews are helpful but LinkedIn and social media can be a lot of smoke and mirrors, and generally completely unrelated to how people might behave on a sit.
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@mikehubbardphot While it is true that everyone has to start somewhere, IMO HOs who are uncomfortable with a brand new sitter do not have to provide their first sit. HOs have different âexperience thresholdsâ before theyâd consider any sitter, and that is perfectly understandable.
We are sitters as well as HOs. When we began applying for our first sits 2.5 years ago, we had no THS reviews but still were chosen right away. We think it is becauseâŚ
We are âmatureâ sitters who have owned our own homes and have had pets all our lives. So when we first started 2.5 years ago, it wasnât a stretch for those HOs to confirm us as sitters, even though we had no THS reviews yet. They knew we have managed taking care of a house over decades and have managed lots of pet care.
However, if sitters who apply to your sits do not have experience with managing homes and/or pets, then of course you are under no obligation to consider them. It all depends on your comfort level since it is, after all, your home and your pets.
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I just looked back at a couple of the sitters who applied for my listing when they had no references or reviews (and in a couple of cases, less than inspiring profiles, hence I declined them) and theyâve secured sits since then, so someone decided they were worth a chance. And those sits have positive reviews, which is fair play to them and the home-owners.
And, in fairness, I did have a couple of âno reviewâ applicants who I would have considered but by then I was already finalising details with someone else.
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Thanks for the replies everyone, as usual very insightful and useful 
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I had no trouble landing sits without reviews or referrals when starting out as a THS sitter. It can depend on how well someone addresses what hosts care about, listing wise. Plus, some demographics or profiles get preference among some hosts. Like Iâm an older woman who telecommutes and sits solo. Or some hosts prefer couples and so on.
Be a little patient @mikehubbardphot as well. Itâs easy as a new owner to think you might not receive any more applications so rush into nabbing the first one! Youâve learned from what youâve read on the forum so, unless this applicant really ticks all your boxes, just wait a bit. If they have no references, you could reply to them suggesting they get some, especially showing their experience with pets and care of homes.
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DITTO and well saidâŚ
When I first started with THS last year in August I had no reviews and was able to book my first sit in Munich Germany (Iâm from the U.S.). I do have a very polished profile, Iâm a mom (empty nester now) and have a very organized structured corporate demeanor (this is how my video chats are often described by my pet parents lol) which I think helped me land my first sit without references. Presentation can go a long way. Definitely trust your gut and only choose a sitter that youâre 100% comfortable with.
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When I joined you had to have 3 external references. However, TH never verified them, which was a failing in my opinion. People couldâve written their own references!
I understand wanting to take sitters with reviews. But as others said, everyone has to start somewhere. I would say look carefully at their profile & application and see how you feel about that, and then if theyâre a âmaybeâ you could offer a video chat/interview, to see how they strike you then.
Took me 8 applications as a newbie before someone took a chance, and I am glad she did. You could be a foot-in-the-door for a new member who will turn out to be a great sitter.
(Also, sitters might be hesitant to apply for sits with no reviews, so it goes both ways 
)
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