What is Success for New or Aspiring Sitters on THS?
This post is about getting booked for a sit from the get-go as newb or non-members.
The screenshots below illustrate that if you want full-time back-to-back sits, you can succeed from “Day 1” of signing up with THS using a solid strategy to get six bookings in roughly 30 days.
I suspect only a few sitters want “full-time” sits (with minimal gap days) for an extended period of time, but it is possible if it fits your travel plans.
Based on feedback from the homeowners (HO) I communicated with, the application is where you will immediately tip the scales in your favor. Briefly state (paragraphed):
Who you are, where you come from, and your education, work, and domicile history
Your comfort with various types of pets and how your schedule matches theirs
Your sitting experience and bookings not started (if they’re relevant to the HO you are applying to)
Mentioning you will not be hosting guests and minimization of your time away from their pets
Your abilities and tactics to respect the sanctity of their home
Express your interest in connecting with them
The interview is the time to describe/negotiate any situation that may be at odds with your application letter and/or the HOs posted preferences — reasonable explanations yield favor; Half of my bookings offered the use of their car.
Paying for the premium membership cannot hurt, and the break-even point has been said to be the 8th sit; you would be distinctive should the HO care. For the 6 sits I currently have booked, half the HOs are Premium Members.
Your profile should communicate the same as your application, yet differently. Profiles photos with animals go a long way. Half the HOs made an offer on the spot (one of which was without even doing an interview).
It’s not luck that will get you all the offers you want — it’s showing you are dependable and care about the HOs travel plans and their pets.
Success is determined by the individual. Like some might want to be full-time sitters/nomads. Some might be happy to recoup their year’s membership, whether as hosts or sitters. And everything in between.
This is being discussed in another thread. I said the same thing, that I will sometimes consider a sitter’s membership tier, all else being equal between sitter applicants when making a choice.
I have received a fair amount of backlash from sitters who say membership status is irrelevant and that bad sitters can be Premium and great sitters may not choose the higher membership tier.
I suggest that a membership status is something to look at but may or may not accurately portray a sitter’s experience level.
To get sits, apply for sits that are not flooded with requests. UK except London and such, and places other than top tourist destinations. That is also your opportunity to explore new places. See places you wouldn’t normally visit. That’s the adventure of petsitting.
It is not enough to «get a sit». You need to get a good match. A good match is the basis for a good stay and for a good review. Remember that you are allowed to and should have criterias. If I need to «minimize» my time away from the home, why should I do it. Why isn’t it a paid sit. If you are a paying member, ofc you can be selective. You should be selective. If they decline because they won’t have a mutual agreement, consider yourself lucky to have dodged a bullet.
That being said, I’ve had good sits being selective, good communication, good exchange partners.
I don’t do interviews with HOs, I have online video calls usually on WhatsApp. It’s not semantics, there’s a huge difference.
My work, education and domicile history are never mentioned in any application. Why would any HO been interested in any doctorate I might or might not have? What do you mean by domicile history? Where I lived, how long for, am I a property owner or renter? I make mention of my current status in my profile and if the HO wants to bring it up that’s fine. Likewise my profile states that I’m a veteran, because it implies but doesn’t guarantee certain qualities.
Perhaps I’m looking for very different sits, experiences and HOs than you are. I try not to seem to earnest and it works for me.
As a host I look at all of those things. One sit in particular we gave to an applicant with only a small number of reviews because in her initial application she offered to do a house swap, as she had her own property and pets that was geographically close and in a desirable place. We hired her because we figured that she was naturally going to be more responsible as she has the financial means to own a home and maintain it. Same goes for if a person has a higher degree such as a doctorate, it suggests responsibility.
I don’t understand the part about being a veteran implies but doesn’t guarantee certain qualities. While I respect the potential sacrifices a military person might have to make for their country I don’t see how that relates to being a pet/housesitter. I know several troubled individuals that entered the military to try to get themselves straightened out. While I respect and admire their efforts I would not want them to be caring for our home and pets.
We’ve had “interview” from the original poster and now “hiring” as a response. As a host I do neither. My objection to the use of these terms might be seen as nitpicking but I believe it matters to most sitters (they’ll correct me if I’m wrong) and it should also matter to hosts
Here are some qualities that are common with veterans, reliability, discipline, adaptability, resilience, integrity, loyalty, problem solving.
I don’t have a degree, in fact I have very very few educational qualifications. But, amongst other things I speak 4 languages other than my native English and I can hold my own in most situations and with most people. I don’t judge people, their abilities or capabilities by their educational tier. I know people with bachelor degrees and MBAs that struggle with day to day tasks e.g. changing a lightbulb. I like to consider myself an autodidact.
I don’t think I’ll be applying for any of your sits, a lack of degree and my membership tier seem to rule me out.
P.S. I have the financial resources to live as a non-working nomad. It’s a lifestyle that suits me.
@PV592 Referring to the last line of your post, you have not shown that you are dependable - you have yet to complete your first sit.
In reference to your title - what is success? - It’s measured in different ways by each and every member. However, stringing together so many sits in a relatively short period of time acquiring them may bring you back to the forum with complaints about your sits. Those of us who have been on the forum for years see scenarios like yours where the members come back repeatedly with complaints about the sits (sitters & hosts).
Confirming a sit is not difficult; selecting a good match takes far more skills and often comes with experience, not persistence. I wish you well in your new endeavours.
You also think home ownership implies responsibility.
I have premium membership, I also have two BAs and two MAs and I am a homeowner. I have owned homes for almost all my adult life. I don’t think that proves that I am more responsible than other sitters with lower levels of education, lower income or lower tier membership.
Regarding property ownership versus renting I think the opposite could be argued. While owning my own home in my country, I have also rented property in other countries and I have had more accountability as a renter than a home owner. When someone rents a property, they have to return it in great condition while if you own your home, nobody cares if you look after it or not.
But if you think a sitter with that profile will take better care of your home and pets, that’s your choice.
IMO believing that a person is better through having a degree is another form of prejudice and snobbery. Some of the best, most reliable and responsible people I’ve ever known had little or no education. Likewise, many highly educated people have also been great.
To keep this on topic, I firmly disagree with the suggestion that a sitter with a degree will be better than another who doesn’t. A degree doesn’t translate to being a good sitter and is not necessary to be a successful sitter.
Are brilliant academics not supposed to be absent-minded, highly forgetful, disorganized, or oblivious to daily life? If so, they are perhaps not the best candidates for success as pet sitters
My experience is that hosts are often drawn to sitters they identify with, or with whom they have things in common.
I mention my job in my profile because it is a role that demonstrates certain qualities and means I hold a DBS. We have done a lot of sits for hosts who work in similar or related fields.
I don’t mention my level of education, unless it is relevant to the particular sit. A language degree demonstrates fluency in the language of the country the sit is in for example.
Shared hobbies can also help a host feel a connection with a sitter. The start of a good match is often simply a feeling about the person and the way their listing / application is written.
It’s interesting to read what @Pierce takes into consideration when selecting a sitter, as it likely tells us a lot about him.
While I am a homeowner with a degree, I wouldn’t be a match as I have no need for Premium membership, and would only be “hired” for a paid housesit.
I am not sure if I understand correctly. Are you encouraging people to apply to sits whose requirements they don’t fulfill and then negotiate when they chat?
I only say that if the time required in the listing fits my needs and I really intend to spend that long with pets. I usually do spend lots of time with them as pets are my main motivator for sitting but I also like to have some freedom and perhaps spend a bit longer occasionally.
