Just decline the least favourite one from the 4 then, and you can get more to choose from
Donā you feel like we are preaching to the choir here. I was hoping more sitters would try to understand our side of things, but alas I am not seeing much of that. And I came to this platform as a sitter so feel like I have a good understanding of the needs of both. And yes I am extremely picky this time around. I went thru 19 applications to get the one I have accepted.
Maybe Iām missing something but when I go to apply for a sit, the website tells me that Iāve been in contact with that person before but short of browsing through my inbox and archives to look for a contact with that HO before I donāt know if I was rejected or withdrew or the HO just removed the sit.
So Iām not always sure if I was turned down - when I see that Iāve contacted before I begin my app saying that if I wasnāt the right sitter before, please stop reading and and just turn me down. Or when I see the prior application and know I was turned down, I just withdraw thw application. So instead of just saying āyouāve contacted beforeā, why not a link to the prior communication?
Or maybe there is way to find prior communication without scrolling through the inbox.
@toml I agree- a direct link to the prior dialogue would be extremely helpful. What is the point in being told there has been prior contact but not knowing what it was?! I suppose it is an improvement on earlier times when we got no warning and the whole previous dialogue would be automatically revealed only AFTER applying! That was awkward sometimes especially if it led to a decline the first time or Iād introduced us the same as before as if weād had not prior contact (because I had no memory of it!) Recently I applied for a sit and got the notification about prior contact. As they had no applicants yet I took the time to go through my inbox to find the dialogue. Eventually I found it- 3 years ago! I remembered them then and did not apply again!!
Would like to hear what qualities this winner sitter has that the others donāt
Yess. So i went back to see how may apps I got for my 3 month summer sitā¦29!!! That was the 1st sit I posted as a new member and I was COMPLETELY overwhelmed and didnt know all the tips I now know to manage better. SOME sitters do not understand that as HOs it is like drinking though a firehose and as i was NEW I was sooooo overwhelmed. BTW this was with a $hit written HouseSit profile as I didnt know any better. Its much improved nowā¦.Finally once my friend gave me the advice of āyou will know when it is the right oneā it made my process so much easier. In hindsight, I was so very patient with MANY applicants who were not a good fit and I would have MULTIPLE back and forths with them which should have told me everything I need to know before getting to the Videochat. It all worked out and I loved my chosen sitter. My Sits since then were not near as difficult a process and I had more like 8-12 applicants before finding the right one. I feel fortunate than my home/location is desirable and now that many sitters have favorited it and I have favorited many sitters, things go much smoother.
I love this, because itās so true, at least in my experience. (Itās also true with buying/renting homes, Iāve found. You walk in and somehow, you just KNOW.) 
Out of the 19 there were 5 that I considered strong possibilities. My first choice backed out when she found out the cost of renting a car in this area for the month of August. I cannot loan my car it is a lease. Another did not respond within 24 hours when I asked if they had checked cost of car rentals. Another thought she could fly into the local airport and not have a car. But they quickly found that service to that airport was not good and in addition I really want someone with a car. The vet is only here 10 hrs a week, otherwise emergencies are an hour away. That left me with two. I had a video chat with my choice that went quite well. We had things in common and chatted for half an hour. I let the other one know I would consider them for future sits. Hope this helps. Next time I am going to modify my listing to add something along the lines that it is okay to apply without finding out about airfare and car rental but that if you cannot do that within 24 hrs of sending the application you will not be considered.
I havenāt seen that THS notice about applying before, but I use the app on my phone to apply. I wonder if this is a web/app incongruity? I just applied to a sit that I had been rejected for a year earlier; it was embarrassing because I didnāt remember the host as the listing was modified, nor did I see the inbox messages with the homeowner until afterwards.
@AnnieNai it was embarrassing because I didnāt remember the host as the listing was modified
No reason to be embarrased - when I see that Iāve applied before I just add a sentence opening my message acknowledging that its a reapp and writing āif you rejected me before, sorry, but TH doesnāt make it easy to find pror applications.ā
I just applied and was accepted for a repeat sit - but it was 5 years ago, the folks have moved so a different location and 2 of the 4 dogs are new. And when you look at past sits on the web, you see the new location, not where the original sit was.
I have to wonder whether the people who are designing the application process ever actually apply for sits to see how the process works!
Iāve solely been a sitter so far but expect to use THS as an HO at some point. I do appreciate your perspective and understand it.
Iāll just say that all the āgoodā sitters that pay attention to your requirements and donāt apply are invisible to you. And there are probably dozens of those. Iām one of them (in general, not specific to your listing). I appreciate when HOās clearly state any non-negotiable requirements clearly up front, as long as they donāt sound scolding but just factual.
I especially appreciate the HO who has a house in a location Iād love to travel to but who always says in her listing that she expects the sitter to do a top to bottom total housecleaning even after just a 3 or 4 day sit! In other words, she wants a free housecleaning not just a sitter who cleans up after themselves. Itās wonderful that she puts it in her listing rather than springing it on the sitter upon arrival.
Honesty like that is gold for us sitters!