How to Write the best House Sitter Ad in 2019

Becoming a house sitter is a dream come true for many. Depending on why and where you want to house sit, it can be an excellent opportunity for you to find occasional work within your area, or use it as an opportunity to travel and discover new places while you house sit. But despite all the appeal of housesitting, we know that finding a job isn’t always as easy as it seems.

In today’s age, the unfortunate truth is that there will always be more people looking for work than those who can offer it. That’s why when it comes to advertising yourself online — especially on sites like HouseSitter.com — the best way to find success is through creating a profile that stands out from the crowd.

As we’re in the business of jobs, we’ve compiled a few essential tips that we’ve learned over the years based on our user’s success. So if you’re interested in finding a fantastic house sitting job, read on for our definitive guide to creating the best house sitter ad.

Step #1: Write A Catchy Headline

When it comes to your job advertisement, what you choose to display as the headline is often the most crucial piece. A good headline can make or break your profile, especially when it is so prominently displayed on HouseSitter.com’s job search page.

Your headline is like a calling card. It should sum up exactly who you are and why you should be hired within a few words. The ultimate goal of your headline should be to grab the attention of potential employees and convince them to keep reading the rest of your profile.

Some key tips for creating the best headline are:

1. Describe what an employer would want, not what you want. Though your profile is there to try and get you a job, ultimately it should be about trying to sell your skills to a potential employer. By making the headline more about what you can do for them as opposed to what they can do for you, you’ll be much more likely to catch their attention.

Bad example: I need a job

Good example: I want to help you with all your house sitting needs

2. Stand out by being specific and descriptive. People who are looking to hire will see dozens of profiles, so it’s important to make yours unique. A great tip is to take a look at the headlines of other people in your area and make sure that you use different wording or highlight different information. Doing this will help your headline pop because it will be something that employers haven’t seen reiterated a dozen times before.

Bad example: Interested in house sitting opportunities

Good example: Reliable and available house sitter at your service!

3. Highlight your strengths, not your limitations. Try to highlight the things you do well and your openness for any task. If you don’t have any previous house sitting experience, it’s best to not advertise this directly in your headline as it can reduce confidence in you as a potential employee. Be sure to promote yourself positively.

Bad example: Limited availability and don’t like big dogs

Good example: Available immediately and open to all tasks

4. Check your spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. You don’t have to be an author to write quality content. But improper spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure can be a huge deterrent for people who are looking to hire. If you don’t take the time and effort to create a quality profile, it can leave employees wondering if they can trust you to take care and caution in the work they require of you.

Bad example: Let me GIve you the beast house sitting experiance

Good example: Let me provide you with the house sitting experience you deserve

Step #2: Provide a Detailed Description

Once you’ve created a killer headline, the next step is to highlight your skills, experience, and availability in your description. Your description should show in detail who you are, why you should be hired, and what you can do.

Our customer data shows that user’s who create a description with more than 500 words are often viewed the most. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to write a small essay as a profile. Quality is often more potent than quantity. A good rule of thumb when it comes to writing your description is to provide as much detail as you can without repeating yourself.

For example, if you’ve worked as a house sitter several times before, you don’t need to list out the specific duties you performed for each job, as some of these tasks may overlap. In this case, you could say that you’ve worked several jobs and have experience performing a variety of tasks. Make sure you are specific though when it comes to what you’ve done so that you don’t leave anything out.

Don’t be afraid to be yourself in your profile too. If you’ve got a sense of humour, try incorporating it into your profile. Those who showcase who they are in their profile are more likely to stand out and become a top candidate because an employer will get a sense for who you are simply from reading about you. So get creative and have fun!

BONUS TIP: you don’t need to stick with the same description the whole time you’re on the site. If you’ve created a profile and don’t feel that you see the results you’d like, you can always go back to the drawing board and try another approach. Doing this also refreshes your profile and can bring people back to it for a second look.

Step #3: Add a Profile Picture

When hiring someone online, there’s always an element of risk, which is why many employers are cautious about who they contact. But by providing a face to the name, you become a lot more approachable.

That is why adding a profile picture is so important. Pictures provide an element of trust when it comes to online profiles, so by adding a picture, you can increase your visibility and trustworthiness on site.

When it comes to profile photos, we suggest choosing a front-facing photo that clearly shows your face. It’s also not a good idea to add filters like those you see on Snapchat or Instagram as this can come off as unprofessional and can obscure your face. A great rule of thumb is to treat your profile like a LinkedIn profile by aiming to keep things as professional as possible. A simple headshot is ideal for a job searching site.

Step #4: Request Recommendations

The last major piece in building a solid profile is to acquire recommendations from those you have previously worked with. Recommendations are similar to references, with the difference being that a recommendation lives on your profile permanently and does not require a point of contact with the person who is recommending you. Essentially a recommendation is a testimonial from previous employers regarding your skills, experience, demeanour, and behaviours while employed by them.

If you have worked previously as a house sitter, or even if you’ve worked other jobs where someone can vouch for your skills as an employee, you can add their recommendations to your profile by completing the recommendation process on site.

Once a recommendation is completed, it will be published directly on your profile and be visible to every potential employer as a testament to your abilities. By adding recommendations to your profile, you will provide a sense of validity as each recommendation backs up your worth as a house sitter.

Put Yourself Out There

By taking the time to make your profile the best it can be, you’re one step closer to finding a job and building your reputation as a house sitter. Once you’ve taken the steps outlined in this article, the final step is to reach out to as many people as you can and allow them the opportunity to review your profile.

Though many people may view house sitting as an easy job, that doesn’t mean that landing a position as one is. It’s important to remember that no matter the requirements of a job, your application makes all the difference. Employers will be able to tell when you’ve put effort into your profile, which will make you more likely to receive interest from them. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and use your profile to find the best fit for both you and your potential employer.