Posted by Corine Doucett on 6/20/08 1:16am
Msg #252177

Newly Commissioned

I am just newly commissioned and was looking for resources like fee schedules (how do I develop mine?) marketing ideas and just general getting started "stuff"

Reply by Lee/AR on 6/20/08 1:40am
Msg #252179

Use ORANGE search button & type in message 33325. Also 'Find A Notary' Blue tab & use your zip to see how much competition you have. Many NSAs are now opting for a job as it's that bad out there right now. Good luck--you're going to need it.

Reply by LKT/CA on 6/20/08 5:05am
Msg #252185

I did my zip code search of Notaries for a 20 mile radius (384) and 10 miles radius (152). I doubt half those people are even still Notaries, some only notarizing for their employers, some are not mobile or don't work after hours. A few profiles were last updated in Nov 06, some in 2007. I guess the old profiles didn't get purged after all (or maybe they're in the process still).

Reply by CaliNotary on 6/20/08 1:58am
Msg #252182

Sorry, we used up all our info on the person who asked this exact same question this morning. Too bad you didn't figure out that simply reading the messages on this board is a resource.

Reply by Carolyn Bodley on 6/20/08 7:36am
Msg #252194

You can get the handbook off the SOS site. Colorado allows you to charge $5.00.

Reply by MW/VA on 6/20/08 7:59am
Msg #252197

Be careful. This Board (some posters) have a reputation for ripping "newbies" apart.
If you are planning on being a NSA, make sure you get some education/training.
There are courses available through a number of sites. It is really tough out there--you will need to be prepared.

Reply by desktopfull on 6/20/08 1:47pm
Msg #252283

..."ripping "newbies" apart," Is this your new definition

for telling someone new in the business the truth? Why should anyone starting a business or making a career move have to be told to "get some education/training," for a profession that they decided to get into? Don't you think they should have done that before deciding on the profession? Don't you believe they should already be prepared before announcing thier debut? Just curious to your answers to these questions, since I've been accused of "ripping "newbies" apart" when all I did was tell them the facts of life.

Reply by LKT/CA on 6/20/08 2:48pm
Msg #252292

Re: ..."ripping "newbies" apart," Is this your new definitio

<<<Just curious to your answers to these questions, since I've been accused of "ripping "newbies" apart" when all I did was tell them the facts of life.>>>

It's not what one says but HOW one says it. If what one says is written in a snide, vitriolic and condenscending tone, then it's considered to "rip someone apart". Notaries who aren't newbies post of their mistakes and bloopers here all the time... case in point, the thread above regarding notarizing the signature of someone suspected of having dementia...if notary law in their state didn't direct them, common sense sure should have, but it didn't. So why would you lecture someone regarding this <<Why should anyone starting a business or making a career move have to be told to "get some education/training," for a profession that they decided to get into? Don't you think they should have done that before deciding on the profession?>>>

Telling the truth is not the problem...the rancor, holier-than-thou attitudes and disrespect to deliver the truth IS the problem. JMHO

Reply by SoCal Signing Co. on 6/20/08 3:22pm
Msg #252296

Re: ..."ripping "newbies" apart," Is this your new definitio

Love it!

Reply by desktopfull on 6/20/08 4:44pm
Msg #252308

Re: ..."ripping "newbies" apart," Is this your new definitio

Telling someone to have a business plan and to know what the standards of the business are that they are going into before starting a business isn't IMO "...snide, vitriolic..." or using a "...condenscending tone..." as you put it, and any business school, college, or university would tell someone the same thing.

Also, posting a blooper has nothing to do with someone posting "I'm a notary now, how do I get business and what fees should I be charging?"

Reply by MW/VA on 6/20/08 7:49pm
Msg #252337

I don't get how anyone took the "some posters" to mean anyone in particular.
I was simply stating that there isn't the best reputation here for being kind to newbies.
Also, she just said "newly commissioned"--didn't say she was necessarily planning to do NSA.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 6/20/08 9:35pm
Msg #252367

I also think a lot of it has to do with the attitude of the newbie. We have seen some come on board where they have clearly made an effort on their own to find whatever information they were looking for and have been warmly received and given much help. (And usually they have a specific question. They're not asking someone else to tell them how to build their business.) The ones who are likely to get "ripped apart" are the ones who appear to not have done any homework or to have taken a sensible business approach to entering this field. They show up and expect others to give up precious time and hard-earned expertise to make things easy for them. Makes a huge difference, imo!

Reply by Sir_Lawrence on 6/20/08 4:25pm
Msg #252307

Good Luck Corine! Study your states Notary laws and read this forum daily.