What does "reviewing" mean under the search for sit?

Welcome & Getting Started
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Hello friends! I am very new to this site and I’m having a bit of difficulty understanding the posting structure for “Find a Sit”.

There are the regular available sits at the top, then it will have a bunch of places listed below where they say you can favourite them for a sit in the future. For THESE specific posts, when it says beside a post, “reviewing” does that mean that their post is being reviewed by the site before it is officially posted? Or does it mean the poster has already received applications for this sit and is currently reviewing them, so they haven’t decided on a sitter yet (but it’s likely already taken)?

Thank you!

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It means (almost always) that five applications have come in. Then the THS algorithm automatically pauses the listing.

The home owner may have gone to bed and may be unaware. It may take several days before they actually start reading the applications that came in.

So the wording is misleading. It would be so much better if THS wrote something clear and upfront like “Listing paused at 5 applications”.

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Welcome @Moni
The reviewing message means that the homeowner has reached the 5 application limit recently imposed by THS. No one else can apply but it doesn’t mean that they have read or begun reviewing the applications.
Dan and Nan

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Ooooohhh, I didn’t even think about that haha, it’s sort of completely different from either of the things I thought it was, but I guess somewhat in line with it then being in the home owner’s hands. Only 5 applicants huh, that’s pretty crazy! Thank goodness I asked about this or I would probably have no idea how competitive this seems and how essential it is to be quick to apply. As a sitter do we have limitations as to how many places we can apply to? Because I am looking for certain dates, and I assume I won’t get something right away, so it would be beneficial for me to apply for multiple places that fit my dates of availability.

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Thank you! Once this “5 application” quota is filled, is the home owner then able to potentially decline or delete any of these applications in order to receive others? Or is 5 the max amount of applicants for any given sit?

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No, there is no limit for the number of applications that a sitter can send out. (Well, maybe somewhere in the software there is a limit at 128 or something like that, but I have not heard about hitting the limit.)

Homeowners can unpause their listing but to do that they need to decline applicants. Sometimes they will send a message with that that they are still considering the application but that they would like to get in more applications before taking a decision. I do not really know what this looks like from the HO side, but some of them are not fully aware of the changes at THS.

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Yes, but there is a trick. You need to be fast at clicking the apply button (and maybe click the date). Then keep that browser window open while you are reading the listing, the references, the airfare, checking possible missing references by using the app interface, discussing with your partner, etc, etc).

Then you can still compose a carefully worded application. It should get in even if it is number 6 or 7.

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Welcome @Moni. No apply for as many sits as you like. If you accept a sit, just withdraw your other applications possibly with a note saying you’re accepted another sit.
If you’ve not got any or no reviews I’d suggest applying for local sits and/or last minute sits to build your feedback up. Took me 23 applications to get my first sit. Done 15 since.

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I agree fully with being quick. I’ve “lost out” on at least 3 sits because I was the 3rd applicant instead of the first. I’ve received responses from them that they really liked our application and profile and thought we’d work out well but they are going to go in the order the applications were received. They then responded that they went with the first applicant but asked us to mark their profile so we receive notifications of future sits.
Dan

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10

Yes, that is how one gets in the first batch of applicants, because those notifications are sent out immediately when the listing goes public.

Then there is the second batch, after the daily email to people that had the area in their Saved searches (max 3 areas on the web interface, max 10 in the apps).

After that come the straddlers.

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11

Yes, us too @Danandnan on being 2nd or 3rd and the HO giving the sit in order of application timing so missing out. 15 mins in one case! :flushed:

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12

You will find most people would agree with you.

Also, there are homeowners that are still not aware of the cutoff. They don’t choose anyone because they are waiting for more applicants.

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13

Thank you so much for all the information!

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14

Ooo that’s super helpful to know! Thank you!

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15

Wonderful! So by marking them do you mean favouriting their post? Or do they have a further profile beyond that to mark?

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Great to know thanks!

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Thank you for this tip! I do have quite a bit of experience and can easily get many outside references, I just only completed my profile last night and didn’t want to disturb people in the middle of the night :blush:. But hopefully outside references will be helpful

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Oh no! That’s actually really crappy! I feel like that’s even worse for a home owner to not feel like they have options or know how it works so they miss out on being able to have someone for their companions :disappointed:.

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19

If you have lots of free time, search for a thread called “Conclusion of Pausing Application Test” and it will tell you all about the matter.

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20

Yes, to click the heart symbol :heart: on listings that you would like to get notifications for when new dates are published.

I usually do that on the web interface but that kind of notifications only arrive in the THS app on my iPhone. One of the mysteries of this platform…

Edit: come to think of it, that may be because I block pop-up windows in my browser.

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