Hi everyone,
I’ve completed 12 sits so far, including repeat bookings and one recent 5-star review. I’ve noticed lately that applications seem more competitive, and I’m curious about what’s working best for other sitters.
How do you make your applications stand out without sounding repetitive? And how do you decide which listings are worth applying to? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
For mine, I try to mention at least one thing the HO says in their listing about their location/house, and another thing (or two) specifically about their pets. And I try to explain why I’m interested specifically in their sit, again focusing on both the location and their pets. I’ve found that doing that makes more of a personal connection with the HO, so they’re usually excited to talk to me even if I’m lower down on the applicant list (like if I’m the fourth person to apply).
As for deciding on which listings to apply to, as I’ve gotten more experience I’ve become a little more picky– and better at researching for if an area is a good fit for me. I always check the photos and the responsibilities section first, and then apply if everything looks okay. But then, I usually don’t try to get a sit in a highly competitive location like London or NYC– I usually aim for suburbs of larger cities, or secondary cities, so I don’t feel like I need to get an application in quickly without having the chance to look over a listing.
We fill up the application que within the hour.
If we chose one or more from the first round it’s usually because they meet the following criteria:
At least 3 reviews (although if we get multiple 5 star sitters the higher star rating gets priority, and we usually do).
A longer more personalized message that makes it clear the sitter read the profile and understands the needs of our pets and the responsibilities of taking care of the home and is up to the task based on their tone and stated experience..
Flexibility. We typically post dates well in advance and before we’ve booked flights, hotels, activities etc. If a sitter can move things around a day or two either way that’s helpful.
A sitter willing to come and stay the night before so the handoff isn’t rushed is helpful as well.
None of those are dealbreakers but they add up to a complete picture that may have us favoring one sitter over another.
I dont know.
I have relatively the same application every time, and some hosts approve me immediately, some reject me after interview. But I have some theories so here are my tips:
Dogs: mention if you have experience of the breed. Best if echoing something the host says, “yes, when I took care of a corgi in Belgium, I was amazed at how cleaver and mischievous they can be. I´ll be sure to keep my eye on Bucky so that there is no funny business”. Or close by experience “I have taken care of another big breed dog, and I am comfortable with handling one”. Also I tend to write “your dog will for sure be a great guide, I love to explore new places on foot and your town is such a dog friendly place”, obv only if the place is known for that and if the dog does not have troubling behavior tied to walks.
Location: I emphazise that I am nearby. Either I have a sit in the same town/country right before (even if I have only applied to one, not yet chosen), or something else ensures the host that I will make it there for sure.
Stay at home: I claim I study remotely. I am not currently rolled in any courses, so not really, but I could any day now… the thing is, I am very much a home body. But it is strange to travel and then just stay in the house, so it is better to give a clean reason for why I will stay a lot at home.
In the end, we all continue to evolve towards better applications (better at bending the truth in many cases). The fight stays the same. Someone who won you last week will next week come here and ask how they can now beat you. It is ridiculous in the end. And then host chooses someone who went to the same school as they did.
Maybe I don’t understand, but only one review for twelve sits?
I often applied to sits with few or no other applicants (yet). Often those are a bit rural or in small towns.
You can look at your competition, what the profile and reviews are of the sitters that they had previously.
And as @anon42303101 wrote: it helps if you say that you will be in the neighbourhood.
I have some really rave reviews. And I have gotten sits immediately since I sound “amazing” and some people interview me, then wait until they interview others and I may not get the sit. Sometimes it is just about the match. If I don’t get it, I move on. And I have about 50 sits, five star reviews that say how wonderful I am. Sometimes, they reject me for the sit I applied for but ask if I could do other dates. If I could do other dates, I would have applied.
Another thing that is really important to me and probably other hosts is a fast response. We’ve all got our phones in our hands or within arms reach and rarely is there no signal.
So if I invite a sitter to a video chat I expect a reply within about a half a day. If I don’t set one I reach out to the next most qualified sitter.
That doesn’t mean the first sitter is out but they’re not first in line anymore.
I sent a very short application in a hurry home owner said she liked it short and to the point.i got the sit.
That’s right. I will wait up to 2 days to reply to applications, while I’m waiting for my first choice to set up a video chat, at which point I will either confirm them and send an polite message to the applicants, or decline them (or they will decline me) and I’ll reach out to number 2.
I reach out to my first choice almost immediately upon receipt of an application as I want get things wrapped up as quickly as possible for the benefit of both parties and any sitters in the que.
Don’t run an application through multiple interactions with ChatGPT or another AI engine. They frequently look almost too good to be true, with no spelling mistakes, grammatical errors or just too smarmy.
Don’t try to be perfect, it’s the enemy of progress. Aim for good enough plus, to secure a video call.
There’s almost always something in a listing and not just the pets’ names, that can be referenced, to show that the listing has been read properly and not just skimmed through.
Don’t make an application too long, a couple of paragraphs should suffice. No one wants to read your biography.
I never take more than 20 minutes to write an application, more usually it will be 5 or so. My success rate has been excellent.
I wouldn’t say we have a particularly high success rate as a family which is understandable, but when i apply to a solo/couples sit i have never been turned down. To add, so far we have only sat for cats and small animals/reptiles.
Every application I send has the following:
I have never used chat gpt to apply.
I always mention pets by name, and find something nice to say about them.
I often drop in some random relevant anecdote the host might find amusing
I talk about why we want to be in that particular area- and I am honest if it’s because we are really wanting a holiday! I think hosts appreciate honesty.
I don’t really think about competing with other sitters, as a sit isn’t crucial to my well being or life… I simply offer my authentic self to the HO if the dates/location match my criteria and if we’re a match they say yes let’s talk. If it doesn’t work out, that’s ok, as sitting is only a small aspect of our rather complex retired life that has many elements to it. So no I don’t compete as such, I simply offer….
Personalizing your application can be quite persuasive.
I saw a listing with a HO who is a professional violinist and one of her cats had a unique name that I hadn’t heard before. I looked into the name and came upon a European violinist with that same one. So I asked in my application if that was why she chose that name for her cat. And it was! I was the 3rd applicant (time zone difference), the only one she videochatted with and I got the sit.
As a home owner looking for sitters, I agree with what several people have said about what they include in their application. Such as “Snickers looks like such a fun dog” or “I have lots of experience with senior dogs”. Those let me know that people actually read my listing info and are not just applying because they want to come to Hawaii.
I am more drawn to applicants who take the time to explain why they think they’d be good for my sit, as opposed to those who just say “I’ve always wanted to come to Hawaii and you can read more about me in my profile”. I thoroughly read everything that every applicant writes, and I look through the profiles of those that I think I’d like to talk with further.
When you are applying for a sit, don’t ignore the fact that the owners have made certain things clear. Like if they say “no kids”, don’t apply anyway saying that your kid has traveled a lot and is well behaved. That just reduces the number of applicants that I can receive while I’m going through the process of declining you.
Good luck, everyone, with their sits!
It’s interesting to read your approach as I don’t really attempt to persuade a HO to choose us….is it an age thing? We’re 67. Simply describing what we offer as sitters, allows the HO to decide if on a superficial level we might be a match, beyond that it opens up an opportunity to talk to explore further. I wouldn’t in a million years agree to do a sit if a HO after reading our application simply confirmed us. It’d make me very suspicious and I’d probably decline…so the whole matching process has several stages. One stage is the style of communication when attempting to agree a time/date to video talk as this can be VERY illuminating! 
I’ve noticed lately that applications seem more competitive, and I’m curious about what’s working best for other sitters.
I’m not sure as a host if more applications necessarily means more “competitive” as many people applying might be newbies. I get a lot of applications. The ones that stand out are the ones that that have enough site experience and no clear red flags on the profile, reviews, replies to reviews, and application note. But also that have applications that show they definitely read the listing so it’s almost like the listing is a conversation that they are continuing.
I think you might have misunderstood. We do not simply confirm a sit based on reading the application. The applications help me to narrow down who we are going to meet with on-line. Then, only after an internet face to face conversation, do we go ahead with confirming a sitter.
Honestly, I first thought this was a host asking for advice due to the large number of listings. You can absolutely view this as a competition, but that would be like competing with strangers on Duolingo or something. It isn’t a real job; it’s a marketplace you’re paying entrance fees for.
In matchmaking, you’re not competing with other people; you’re risk-managing your time and judgment to find the right match for what you’re actually looking for. And your profile and outreach message should reflect that.
Good luck 
@Denisa
@Denisa Top tip- Just be yourself when applying. Let the HO catch a glimpse of who you are and why you are the perfect match for them (without overdoing it!)
Always personalise your application e.g reference pets by name, comment on something in their listing e.g any special requirements/details you noted, mention why you want to visit (place name) so they know you’ve read the listing properly. Etc etc First impressions count! The more your application ‘speaks’ to an HO the more likely they are to read your profile too and take it further. We did a sit last summer where the HO confessed, over our arrival dinner, that she had not actually read our profile at all, or any of our 100+ reviews!! She was a first time user and had based her decision entirely on the strength of our application message! That’s probably pretty rare but it certainly indicates the importance of a great application!
The only really competitive part for me is making sure I get my application into the first 5 before the listing closes! The rest is not really ‘competition’ as such. Its matching the right sitter with the right sit. There will often be more than one good match but something in your application, maybe one tiny detail, will be what makes you stand out and you cannot know in advance what that might be to any particular host! Even if you are having a run of ‘declines’ just keep on applying and don’t take things too personally.
Good luck!
Couldn’t agree more @Lokstar , this is pretty much how I do things and receive the same response from HO’s. Being yourself is the best way to introduce who you are, in applications and in life. Not everyone will like that, or like YOU, but most do and it shines through in applications, exactly as Lokstar has said. Formal and job application type to me is an instant turn off. Be you, because that’s who you are 