When home owners are selecting a house sitter it is their personal choice and made up of a number of factors. If you are new to house sitting consider what your profile is. This is a make up of your experience, age, gender, travelling companions, fitness level and flexibility. Take some time to consider how your profile will match house sits that you would like to be considered for.
My profile – a 42 year old single woman from Australia that has travelled extensively and independently, a home owner myself and animal lover with house sitting experience is a good fit for many advertised house sits. I have found this especially so in examples of other women who live in apartments and need someone to come in a look after their cat, or a mother choosing a sitter to come into the family home. But for some sits my profile isn’t as strong. For example a farm sit requiring a lot of property upkeep or sits in countries where women traditionally don’t live or travel alone have not previously yielded results.
Before you pay for a subscription to a house sitting website and start contemplating sunset walks on the beach with a Golden Retriever take some time to consider what your profile is.
If you are travelling as a couple, what can you bring as a two that a single can’t, extra man power, additional security and double the experience!
If you are a guy travelling alone, what assets from your past and your upbringing can add to your credentials? Perhaps you have experience farming, doing property maintenance, animal husbandry or operating machinery? These are unique skills that in turn can make you a candidate that stands out from the rest.
If you are travelling as a family unit, this adds to your profile. It suggests security and stability. That you will go to efforts to maintain the home and property for the owners while you and your children are residing there.
Single females (my area!) can promote reliability, consideration and dependability. If you are an experienced sitter and home owner references to reflect this add a great deal of weight.
Other facts to highlight include your experience and comfort as a pet owner, did you grow up with animals? Are you sensitive to the needs of an old cat or small puppy? Have you volunteered in animal shelters and appreciate the importance of discipline in feeding times, behaviours and administering medication.
If you are contemplating house and pet sitting and can identify with some of these suggestions then it is likely that there are pet and property owners who need help from someone like you.
If you are a group of guys that have just finished Uni and are on a gap year, then a workaway might be for you!
Good luck and follow my blog for more tips on house sitting and if you are a home owner that needs a sitter get in touch. Hope to hear from you soon.
Your World Wide Pet and Plant Poppins 
Wondering how this would work with well travelled senior citizen police clearance independent experience with horses and other animals lives on acres in Australia spent time in Spain Singapore Germany Italy etc
Cheers Parna
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Hello Parna,
Many retired couples travel while house sitting, some full time and internationally, so I am sure with your experience with both animals, travel, and living among different cultures, you would have not problem finding sits and are likely to be in demand.
Good luck!
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