Checking Petsitter References

Even if you're considering a petsitter who is applying for her first sitting job, you should ask each candidate for references before you turn over your house keys and precious little handfuls.

The typical petsitter should have two references that have already agreed to serve as such in this hiring process. First-timers may use a parent or teacher, since they haven't yet established a relationship with an employer. Either way, the petsitter should provide you with both the phone number and email address of references so you can contact them easily (unless they happen to be too, um, technologically impaired and scared of the internet to set up an email account).

We understand that you might feel a little awkward calling a reference, so Sittercity is here to help you get more comfortable and familiar with the idea by offering our own tips and list of questions to guide the process.

THE PHONE CALL: INTRODUCTION

The first thing you'll want to do is introduce yourself and tell the reference why you are calling - don't forget to say that the petsitter referred you.

"Hi, this is Jane Smith. I'm calling because Pamela Petsitter listed you as a petsitting reference, and I was wondering if now was a good time to ask you a few questions about her personality and performance."

In rare cases, the reference might not be comfortable speaking to you or did not agree to be a reference. Note to self: this is probably not a good sign. If you're the benefit-of-the-doubt, I-believe-in-second-chances type, then contact the petsitter for another reference. Otherwise, remove her from the potential petsitters pile.

QUESTIONS FOR REFERENCES

If the reference seems happy to speak to you, here's a typical list of questions that you can ask to help gauge your potential petsitter's talents. As a courtesy, try to keep your questions brief - the phone call shouldn't last more than 10 minutes.

* How well do you know Pamela?
* In what capacity did she work for you?
* How long did she work for you?

* How would you describe her?
* What are her best qualities?
* What are her worst qualities?

* Did your pets seem to like her?
* Was she excited to see your pets?

* Is she flexible? (Consider getting a rating on a 1-5 scale for this question.)
* Is she mature? (Consider getting a rating on a 1-5 scale for this question.)
* Is she patient? (Consider getting a rating on a 1-5 scale for this question.)
* Is she timely? (Consider getting a rating on a 1-5 scale for this question.)
* Is she energetic? (Consider getting a rating on a 1-5 scale for this question.)

* Did she perform any house sitting duties?
* How well did she follow direction?
* Did your pet seem at all unusual when you returned?
* Was your home in the exact same condition as when you left?
* What areas could she improve in?
* Would you hire her again?
* Why did you stop working together?

* Were you completely comfortable leaving your pet in her care?
* If not, what reservations did you have?
* Is there anything else you would like to add?
* Can I contact you again if I have any more questions?

BEYOND THE BASIC ANSWERS

When doing a phone reference check, you don't have a lot to go by other than the person's voice and assurance on the phone. So ask YOURSELF a few questions:

Did the reference sound nervous?
Did they answer right away to their name?
Is anything not quite right?

For every 99 great petsitters, there is always one schlep who will use her college roommate for a reference ("What the he- oh, riiiight, yes, this IS Mrs. Former Employer..."), so use your gut to determine if anything seems odd.

Sittercity screens babysitters for our SpeedSitting events (in hard-to-reach markets), so we've become quite familiar with the reference-checking process. We've learned that you can tell a lot simply from how a person's voice makes you feel, which is why we recommend the phone interview over exchanging emails. Take advantage of your own gut instinct, and take comfort knowing that each phone call take you one step closer to priceless peace of mind.