Posted by Lisa Batschelet on 4/1/10 9:59am
Msg #329929

Hi, I'm new :)

Okay I have been a notary for about a year now (just for the company I work for) and I don't know where to start. I want to get some part time work on the side and I'm not really sure where to turn or what is the most lucrative. I live in PA.

Any suggestions are welcome!

Thank you!

Reply by Laura_V on 4/1/10 10:18am
Msg #329935

Welcome! n/m

Reply by Yoli/CA on 4/1/10 10:36am
Msg #329938

Welcome to our notary world, Lisa!

Unfortunately, it's a slow time for the industry and has been for over a year. I would suggest doing a lot of research on the logistics in your area, read this forum from this point back to at least 2 years, formulate a business plan, etc. I'm sure you'll come up with other points once you do your due diligence in research.

Not to dissuade you, but after all that, you may decide on another avenue for extra money -- maybe doing nails (I say that 'cause even in this bad economy nail shops are still doing a booming business).

Good luck!

Reply by Linda Juenger on 4/1/10 11:01am
Msg #329941

Re: Welcome to our notary world, Lisa!

Yoli, I agree. Women will not give up 3 things no matter what: Hair, Nails and Makeup,

Reply by Tom Walsh on 4/1/10 11:14am
Msg #329944

Congratulations on joining the world of independent notaries. I am not familiar with Pennsylvania; however, I am sure they have mortgage notarizations as do most states. First, complete a resume and put together a package that includes your resume, background check (certification or copy, depending on what you have), copy of license or certification, errors and omissions policy and anything I may have forgotten (as you start sending this package out you will learn who wants what, etc). Send this package email to signing agencies. Most signing agencies have websites with enrollment page. You may then become and independent contractor for that agency. You will start getting calls for notarizations in your area and once you do continue marketing yourself to them and let others know you have increasing experience. If you need to know more about completing mortgage/lending notarizations there is a course you can take from the National Notary Association and possibly other organizations. Good luck and happy marketing.

Reply by MistarellaFL on 4/1/10 11:27am
Msg #329946

Start by reading Msg # 33325

A great thread for those in the beginning of this career.
Many of your questions (and many more you hadn't thought about) are
addressed in this thread.
Best Wishes.

Reply by desktopfull on 4/1/10 11:40am
Msg #329948

I would avoid the NNA if at all possible, use orange

search button to understand why.

Reply by Roger_OH on 4/1/10 2:31pm
Msg #329990

Were it only that simple, Tom...

Companies that do have an enrollment page rarely ask for a resume, only signing/notary experience; additionally, DON'T pay a signing company to let them list you. Go to Signing Central here and look at many company reviews by those who have worked for them.

There are several good notary membership sites, such as here on NotRot, where the membership fee is well worth it.

Even after you've signed up with companies, don't expect to just sit back and have the calls roll in. You need to be aware of your local competition, and more experienced NSAs will be called first. Additionally, our industry has been in a down mode for quite some time, and even NSAs with years of experience have cut back their business or gotten out altogether.

Finally, for PA signing questions or training courses, you are fortunate to have the oldest and best state notary organization in the country, the Pennsylvania Association of Notaries. They are an excellent resource with great benefits, and I'd highly recommend becoming a member.
They can help you know your state laws thoroughly.

Reply by Patti Corcoran on 4/1/10 5:34pm
Msg #330018

Good advice from everyone. My only advice: stay determined! If you are in it for the long haul then don't give up. Best of luck!

Reply by JanetK_CA on 4/1/10 3:19pm
Msg #330001

Hi Lisa,

Everyone here assumed that you wanted to do loan signing work because that has been the most lucrative in the past, but as Roger said, that market is way down and I imagine it would be very hard to break into, as he said. It will also involve additional training (you absolutely need to learn about loan documents and some basics about the process unless you have experience in that area) and investment in some equipment (at minimum a decent laser printer, etc. -- lots of info about this, although some is a bit dated, in the thread with msg #33325). Then you have to spend lots of time marketing yourself to try to get any work, which in the beginning will likely be at much lower rates than used to be paid for this work - and it may take some time to produce any results at all.

HOWEVER, depending on what your state allows you to charge for doing general notary work, that's something you are presumably already trained for and something you may be able to start doing right away outside your job. It will still require you to market yourself, naturally. Laura_V is not allowed to advertise here (and she probably wouldn't anyway) but she has put together a wonderful little booklet on Marketing Your Non-Loan Notary Business that is available as a download from Amazon.com here:

http://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Your-Non-Loan-Notary-Services/dp/B000IB14YW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270152230&sr=1-2

It is highly recommended, not only by me, but by many of the other experienced members of this site, as well.

A couple of other suggestions for you... Come often to this forum and read as much as you can. Much of it you might not find relevant to what you're interested and it's a simple matter to skip over that stuff, but you never know when you will find a little gem. I've been a notary for almost 10 years, and I still regularly learn new things here. One of the most important things you'll learn after a while might be who to "listen" to. You'll get all kinds of advice, most of it good, some not so much... Just keep in mind that state laws vary a great deal and what is the right thing to do here in California, for example, may be totally wrong for Pennsylvania. (BTW, Roger/OH is definitely one of the ones always worth listening to!)

Secondly, almost every question you can imagine as already been asked and answered multiple times. So before you post, it's a very good idea to use the orange search button to search the archives. You can search either by topic (which may not be what you'd expect) or by the message content itself.

Best of luck!

Reply by Barbara___IL on 4/1/10 3:47pm
Msg #330013

Good luck, Lisa! n/m

Reply by docnomad on 4/1/10 5:54pm
Msg #330022

First of all Welcome to the business, I too am what would be considered new to this game, but if you read the posts here and on other sights you will gain good and not so good advice on what is going on here. I have been lucky I have not gotten a bum steer here yet (knock on wood). If you are really wanting to get into this game, you must do a lot of homework, reading and of course promoting your self both in your area and with signing companies. The best advice I can offer is to get a phone (cell works) just for the notary and get that number out! and when it rings ANSWER it, I have found that companies will call a number and if no answer they go to the next one on the list, if you pick up and talk to them, there is a real good chance you will get the job. (I have gotten a lot of work that way, and the ones that get leave a message or no answer at all ....well guess they are to busy to pickup the phone.)