You don’t say anything in your post about it, @JMP_Loves_Paws , but would mention that many sitters (incl. myself) withdraw our application if we don’t get an answer quickly enough.
Terms of THS says that a member should answer within 72 hours, but many (incl me) withdraw after approx. 48 hours if we don’t get an answer. I don’t know if that has something to do with your withdrawals though.
Sitters also are encouraged to apply to several sits at a time (as many hosts keep sitters waiting it is the smart thing to do) and of course there could be other factors, in the sitters life, sitters have made their own vetting of location/ host/ transportation or :other: .
It is disheartening to be declined for both sitters and hosts for sure. Don’t know if you have done it before, but it is possible to add the link to your listing in your forum profile and start a topic to get help here on forum to maximize your listing.
You were very patient with these candidates dragging their feet. I think it would be better to be more draconian, explaining to people that you’d rather have a video call within a couple of days. No reason why waste weeks in the process.
Bullying and threatening behavior is simply counter productive. You will never even consider them in the future and will probably warn others of their toxic behavior.
Your Sit opportunity is long, and with Thanksgiving nicely positioned. It also does not compete with Christmas dates too much. Most of the Christmas Sits that I have seen begin around December 20. All of this is good.
It would be nice to see your listing, to try to better understand why Sitters are withdrawing their applications.
Do you mention typical weather during that time of year? I would think “cold and snow,” but I would have to actually look it up online.
Have you looked at your competition? (Nearby Sits during similar dates)
At this point, I would add to my listing (at the beginning), “Please apply only if you are seriously interested. I would like to make a decision by October 6.” Something like that. Then the applicants know that you are going to move quickly and expect them to move quickly also, without any threatening language. Most Sitters WANT to deal with Owners who move quickly.
I did push having video’s within a couple of days. Then I gave them 48 hours to respond, sent a follow up and gave them a couple more days. Over the course of several people, it added up.
One sitter agreed to the video and then didn’t even show.
Another point is that all these people didn’t apply at once. The applications dribbled in. By luck, as soon as one withdrew, another person applied within a couple of days. Then I started the process all over again. In the course of 5 people, it took over 5 weeks. (I initially forgot about the one that didn’t show to the video. She didn’t withdraw - I was forced to reject her based on the no show.)
Just another challenge trying to people’s schedule/time zones versus assessing slow responses as lack of interest.
Sorry the process is being so inefficient for you. That’s very annoying. It’s unclear if you had overlapping applications but if you did, don’t be shy about talking to multiple people at once. Most sitters seem to apply for multiple sits at once, so fair’s fair.
Given your listing has been up a for a while, you might try taking it down and then putting it back up so that it’ll be on the top of the results again. You may also consider starting a thread and asking for feedback on your listing so you can make sure it’s optimized.
I’ve seen owners drag out the process too. If an owner is interviewing multiple applicants, and not making a decision after our call, especially on a sit that is coming up shortly, I want to know before the call. If I’m traveling and looking for a sit, I will often have multiple opportunities in the hopper. If they don’t commit after the call, I arrange the next and there’s a good chance I won’t be available when they get back to me. This just happened a couple days ago, actually. If the HO is interviewing multiple people and taking awhile to make a decision on a sit that’s within a couple weeks, I can save us both time by moving on before a call.
I agree! Owners need to realize that they will likely get the best Sitters if they rapidly respond, quickly do a video chat, and then immediately confirm the Sitter.
Owners who drag their feet (for whatever reason) are doing themselves and Sitters a disservice.
I wonder what % of Owners actually plan to interview multiple Sitters before choosing one.
My experience indicates that only a small percentage of Owners plan to interview multiple Sitters.
Yep. this happened to me recently. i had a half dozen sits in play as it was over a long period of time and they were all dragging their feet. very annoying. then i applied for and got a 6 month sit so withdrew from all the others that were in play. multiple owners responded immediately that they were ‘just about to’ offer me the sit and I was just like ‘sorry, i have to go with what’s certain rather than waiting and hoping’.
I would be likely to withdraw too. I certainly would be applying to other sits simultaneously, and then there is a good chance that I would get a sit before you offered it to me.
WOW - dodged a bullet!
These people are ridiculous.
SO if FIVE sitters applied they have FIVE people they are in a committed arrangement with? Not seeing the ligic there.
We have been sent half a dozen “invitations to sit” without any communication.
In 5 of those instances we responded saying we were only comfortable confirming a sit when we have been able to do a video chat or meet-up.
In 3 of those instances, it was pretty clear we wouldn’t want to do the sit once we got to “know” the HO better (misrepresenting the sit significantly). One we did accept after a video chat and it was lovely.
BUT ONE we did accept because it was in a great location, seemed a great sit, good reviews (all pre-blind review period…) Turned out to be a nightmare from start to end (thankfully very short sit).
NEVER again will trust an invitation without first a reasonable amount of interaction!
Mind you, I had two great sits where they offered me a sit simply on the basis of my application message and my profile, and both times it was me who suggested a call before confirming, for their own peace of mind, and they said “No need, we know we want you”.
It was lucky it all turned out great, we still spoke before my arrival and if something was off I’d have cancelled the sits. I was still pretty new but now I do it for my own vetting process.
I did have experience where the owners were surprised I didn’t immediately accept their offer - it’s not just then interviewing the sitters.
If they can choose amongst 5 candidates (and let them wait for their decision or until they interview everyone), why shouldn’t I apply and choose what I like the best?
And on the topic of response time. Recently, I have applied for 9 sits for similar dates and only 3 of them got back to me (at all!) and one of them was a sit I agreed to.
I spoke to two of them, decided the same day and notified the other and withdrew my application so they can get another one in.
Generally speaking, if they don’t get back to me within 48hrs, they’re unlikely to respond at all. Everyone I sat for messaged me within 24hrs and we agreed on a call within 48hrs.
If the sit is months away and I don’t have any other plans, I will keep my application open (if they don’t Decline it) but if I’m looking for a sit for dates that are approaching, I will keep applying and if the owner gets back to me in 4 days, I could have already found a different sit and will withdraw.
I withdraw as a courtesy so they know not to count on me anymore or if I have spoken to them and I don’t choose to do it, so they can get a new applicant, but I don’t have to.
If they don’t think I’m a good candidate and don’t want to speak to me, they can Decline me and get another applicant.
Here’s a question if anyone knows (perhaps a team member):
I wonder if sitters automatically receive a message if the owner has Invited someone for a sit and they have Confirmed it? Like a batch ‘Decline’ message for the other 4 candidates?
(When I receive a Decline message, I don’t know if it’s just a NO for me, or because they have selected someone else so the system has sent me a Decline message automatically)
Or do owners have to manually Decline someone for them to receive a notification that they haven’t been selected so they don’t wait?
If they don’t Decline me, I keep thinking it might still be a possibility.
That’s my experience too. I have also noticed that sometimes when they drag the process is because they don’t have firm dates. In those cases I withdraw, not because of the dates (I am usually very flexible because I rarely do back to back sits)but because I like people to be honest and straightforward. Why not mention it in the first place?
