@Vanessa_A there are lots of tips to give sitters starting out of course but for me it was to get that first review which makes a huge difference in securing more sits; so i would say dont be too particular but also take on something that you know you can manage…not eight dogs…or horses etc if you have no experience of them!
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- Be honest about why you want to sit and what kind of sit you are looking for. Don’t be swayed by the great location or property.
- Get yourself verified
- Get a couple of personal references if you have no reviews yet
- Read the welcome guide
- Have a video call with the owner(s) and ask lots of questions. Don’t feel obliged to accept the sit, if it does not suit you, after speaking to the owner(S)
- Good communication is key. Decide on the best method of communication with the owner(s)
- Have fun and give constructive feedback after the sit is over
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@Sand yes totally agree with this list and asking lots of questions, a video link if at all possible before commiting to the sit, and going through the WG carefully making notes where there are gaps or something not clear and getting clarification ahead of the sit, its all about good communication and I have found that often as a sitter i need to help the HO with this as some would be quite happy just to toss you the keys (some you never even meet) and head off on holiday leaving you with a whole lot of questions! Some will not even have prepared a WG but just leave sketchy notes! I have learnt to be very wary of sits where the HO does not want to engage in this process!
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Absolutely. It most certainly is finding the right fit. We each have our own personal criteria, preferences. Very nice share @KC1102
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Hi @Sand welcome to our community forum thank you for joining and for your excellent advice, 7 really relevant and inspiring tips, presented in a simple and succinct way.
We would love to hear more about your THS journey and experiences. Enjoy the conversations and connecting with members from around the world and thank you again for your very informative post.
Angela and the Team
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This may not be a top tip as I see most of them are covered here but it’s something I always do when I consider applying on a sit and don’t see it here. I first check plane flights to get an idea of the cost and the time it will take to get to the location before I even consider applying. I also check the weather conditions for the time of the year as I don’t really want to go to a country during monsoon or hurricane season. We did one sit which was quite an expensive plane flight to get there and the homeowner said this was usually a deterrent to sitters but it was fine with us and a place we had never been and a wonderful sit.
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We always let the owner know that we will not leave the pet sit until they actually return. Especially now during these times you never know what may happen. Our last pet sit the owner’s flight was cancelled and she didn’t arrive until the next day. She was so grateful we could care for her dog another day. So it is a good policy just for this reason if you can.
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Great to see you back in the forum again @LynKinn and with a great tip. We are the same… we don’t ever like to leave until the owner is through the door… just in case! Thanks for sharing!
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Hi I would love some tips on finding housesitting positions. So far I have found the stories exhilarating and look forward to experiencing some wonderful adventures.
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Hello @Trilby and so good to hear you are enjoying the forum and our member stories. I’ve moved your comment to this thread as you’ll see lots of tips here from other sitters and maybe even get some more on this topic!
If you haven’t already found it, the TrustedHousesitters Blog is full of information for our members including lots of guides and tips for successfully getting sits. Here’s one that might help…
Let us know how you get on and do not hesitate to ask the community if you have any other questions. All the best, Vanessa
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Not sure if it’s already been mentioned but once accepted for a sit it’s worth asking the HO how often they would like you to check in with them/send photos etc. Owners are all very different and we’ve had some that wanted numerous texts a day, once a day, once every few days and barely at all during a month long sit. It’s best to ask in advance as it varies.
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I do exactly the same @Angela_L. I have looked after the same elderly cat three times now and the HO has everything organised in case of that life threatening emergency. All being well I will be looking after her again in November. I did the same thing when I had sitters looking after my 18 year old cat, taking them to meet the vet and ensuring that the vet knew my wishes and that I would pay the account on my return home. As we had regular visits, this was not a problem.
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Hi Vanessa,
I have emailed support because I joined last night and paid via PayPal but when I tried to login I was told my login details were incorrect. I presume that the passwords for the forum and the member area are different. I used the one for the members area which I used when I joined.
I had previously signed up,for a free trial but what with everything happening with COVID and us not being able to move I had forgotten so not sure now if I had a password for that which has caused a problem. I hope it will be sorted out easily.
I never received the email to confirm either.
Thank you for the information below.
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Hi @Trilby I will tag the Membership Services Team to look into this when they are back online as it is a Membership Admin issue which they can help with @Therese or @Katie_Mc will assist when they are back online.
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Hi @Trilby I see someone from membership services has already been in touch to help you solve your problem. To also confirm the Forum is a completely separate platform to from that of TrustedHousesitters’ website, so your login details may be different. However, if you are a member of TrustedHousesitters, you can access the Forum website via the dropdown menu, but you will still need to log in.
Kind regards, Therese
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Hi there, my name is Ben. I’m new to this site. I was hoping to house sit to some of the locals in the bay area but Im having a hard time having people to respond. Is that normal? How do you break that ice of having to pet sit for someone when you don’t have any reviews yet? I’m open for some advice if you have it! It’s seems like an awesome community to be part of.
Thank you
Ben
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Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of THS @isaacben.
In addition to the wisdom shared by @anon36831737, focus on any previous experience you have with pets, your own, friends and families. Include some enthusiasm as to what it is you enjoy and are looking forward to.
Ask if anyone who knows about your experience would give you a reference.
and just keep trying. It will happen sooner than you think.
The Bay is a great pet area.
Best wishes.
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I hope this doesn’t seem like a stooopid or silly question … but which bay, of the thousands around the globe, are you referring to? I frequent a very nice bay ie Swansea Bay, in South Wales, UK, from time to time, but I’m sure you don’t mean that one!
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True! I just assumed “The Bay” which to me is San Francisco Bay!
Does make a difference 
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🏴