Personalising your application is one of the best ways to get yourself noticed by pet parents. Why? Well, firstly it shows that you’ve taken the time to read through their listing - after all, pet parents need to feel comfortable about welcoming you into their home, and showing you’ve taken the time to read their listing can help give them the reassurance they need to invite you to care for their pets.
Great article.
Something I have done is change my profile to feature some of the key things I bring as a highlight that addresses the specific things a HO has indicated as important or required for example as mentioned in another thread, if there is a huge garden, orchids…
I will mention my experience and skill level with these. Or a special needs pet.
@Amparo: so you change your profile, vs mentioning orchids in just your application? That is savvy!
On a related note, I’d suggest members back up their profile text. I don’t know of a convenient way to do this; you could store the text in a google doc/spreadsheet.
One reason to back up is in case you change your profile to be personalized for the sit you’re applying for. BTW Amparo, how do you back up your profile info?
Another reason is because the TH site/app can lose your profile text surprisingly easily. It happened when I tried using emoji on my Mac. For reference, see here:
A related tip is don’t use emoji. =) It may work on Windows machines, but since it so doesn’t work on Apple devices, I wouldn’t risk it until @Ben-ProductManager says it’s fixed. And this is for both profiles and applications.
And to clarify, an emoticon is okay and is just ASCII like this: =^)
An emoji is Unicode and is like this:
Hi @geoff.hom
I review my profile very often and if I am applying for a sit that I really want I will customize or better said “personalize” my profile to better match the needs of the HO.
I do not copy and paste nor do I save my profile or create templates. I am the backup.
I change,all the time, to meet the needs of those looking for me.
Be the change. Another “cliche”
And “ what you seek is seeking you”
I save all my sit applications in a Word Document on my computer.
When I see a housesit we are interested in, I open my Word document, where I have a standard application letter, which I personalize, starting with the greeting (Pet Parent first name), dates and location of the sit I am applying for and the name and type of each pet.
I reiterate the responsibilities and other traits the pet parent is looking for that we are qualified for and prepared to fulfill.
After I review my draft and double check the Pet Parent listing to make sure everything is correct, I save my Word document, I click on “Apply Now” on the THS website and copy and paste my application.
I only change or update my profile occasionally, when I get a great new picture of us interacting with the wonderful pets under our care.
