Posted by HisHughness on 1/15/05 2:02pm
Msg #16898
A new approach
I have grown quite wearied of this continuing "He asks" "We spank" "He complains" cycle that we have gotten into with newcomers. I don't want to read any more ignorant questions, I don't want to write any more responses to ignorant questions, and I don't want read any more complaints about irritable responses to ignorant questions. This is beginning to sound very much like the marriage I just left.
I have listened to those who say we should not jump on newcomers so hard simply for asking questions. There is some validity to what they say. I think before we chastise them, we should tell them in a helpful manner specifically what they should do before they begin asking us to do their work for them. If they follow our advice, THEN we can suggest they seek out a job stocking shelves at Wal-Mart.
So...here's what I am going to do. Each time I see a newcomer ask one of those really scary questions, I'm going to post the following message. It is the same message I have posted many times before, but I have added a bit to it. If anybody else wishes to copy the message to his hard drive and post it when I have not done so, please feel free to do that. I'm just not going to engage anymore in these endless rounds of questions and recrimnations.
Advice for new notaries
You have asked a question regarding what is a fundamental aspect of being a notary public. Essentially, if you do not already know the answer to that question, you are simply unprepared to provide either notary public or signing agent services. The members of this board will be happy to help you >>once YOU have done all that YOU should do to prepare yourself.<<
Please do two things:
1) Read, AND TAKE THE TIME TO FULLY COMPREHEND, your state’s manual for notaries public; then
2) come back to this board. Above the menu of posts, click the "First" button. Go all the way to the very first post in June 2003, "Welcome to the General Discussion Forum." Read all the way to the last post today. You will find your answer many times over in the intervening messages, along with far better information about being a signing agent than you’ll ever get from any certification course. I realize that much of what you will read will be duplicative, and some will be totally irrelevant. But, in sum, reading the archives of this board will almost surely be the most informative thing you will ever do to assist you in being a signing agent. You also would be well advised to pursue any Internet sites that posters have indicated might be helpful in furthering your knowledge.
If, after doing both of the above, your question remains unanswered, then come back and post your question on the board. You will probably find that you will get more and more helpful responses if you post under an identifiable handle and include a state designation in that handle.
Good luck in preparing for a fulfilling career as a mobile notary/signing agent.
| Reply by HisHughness on 1/15/05 2:07pm
Msg #16899
Re: A new approach -- oops
It should have read:
If they follow our advice and still don't know the answers to a basic questions, THEN we can suggest they seek out a job stocking shelves at Wal-Mart.
| Reply by HisHughness on 1/15/05 2:10pm
Msg #16900
Re: A new approach -- oops II
It should have read "recriminations" rather than "recrimnations."
Both Recrim I. Nations and Recrim Nations are second cousins of mine.
HUGH NATIONS
| Reply by Donna_CA on 1/15/05 2:43pm
Msg #16904
Re: A new approach -- oops II
Sounds like a plan to me.
I have been a notary and SA for 6 months. When I discovered this message board about 4 months ago, I took the first two months to read the various posts, and learned valuable information. This eliminated my need to ask many questions that had already been answered.
While I understand and relate to being new, having tons of questions and insecurities about starting out in the business, I was and continue to be amazed at questions that show a lack of research or even a willingness to take the responsibility to learn.
Obviously, if someone needs an immediate response for an upcoming assignment, that's a different story. But if the training received was poor, inaccurate, misleading or not at all then why shouldn't we be responsible to learn the basics before we seek assistance from others.
Even I'm getting a little weary of the proverbial "I just got my license, now what do I do?"
| Reply by CarolynCO on 1/15/05 3:15pm
Msg #16911
Re: A new approach -- oops II
** I took the first two months to read the various posts, and learned valuable information. This eliminated my need to ask many questions that had already been answered. **
Donna, I bet because you did take the time to read and soak everything in, it was a better lesson and you remember more than had you simply posted a question and read the responses.
Hugh and Cali in particular, and many other posters for months have been telling people to read, read and read. To my recollection, no one ever complained by posting how unhelpful and rude we were/are until the past two weeks.
| Reply by Terri Garner on 1/16/05 9:50pm
Msg #17022
Re: A new approach -- oops II
Donna - this is what I did to! I learned a great deal of information by searching, reading, searching, reading, etc. Two things stick in my mind that I learned before making a mess out of things, was get an EIN before I took any assignments, and to use the borrower's names as the sender on Airway Bills!
Of course, I've learned a great deal more. I was a notary for just under 3 years when I became an SA. I felt I knew how to perform my notary acts (no I can't notarize your wife's signature without her personally appearing before me - one of the owners where I used to work was dumb enough to ask me that two times!); and I knew the difference between an Acknowledgment and a Jurat the day I took my exam and remembered the difference.
Now a year and a half later, I much wiser and smarter and I believe that I am better at being a Notary first.
Terri
Lancaster, CA
| Reply by maureen/nh on 1/15/05 2:43pm
Msg #16905
Re: A new approach -- oops II
Hugh I don't think you realize how little direction is given to new notaries by some of the states. In my instance it's ongoing. I call the SOS and get told they can't answer legal questions and Miss Snippet on the end of the phone tells me what she would do. I ask if there is a law or regulation to back this up and do they have a lawyer on staff. NO and NO . Well where do you get legal advise. From the AG's office.
Call them and they can't give legal advise either. GRRRR
If it wasn't for these boards and the ASN I would be in a fine pickle. Notary manual ha ha . I think everyone gets a trifold, maybe, and no updates, you have to search for them on your own.
| Reply by HisHughness on 1/15/05 2:59pm
Msg #16909
Re: A new approach -- oops II
Maureen points out:
Hugh I don't think you realize how little direction is given to new notaries by some of the states.***
I do understand the lack of support in many states, Maureen, beginning with a of actual statutes to govern notary public practice. Texas notaries get very little statutory guidance. We do get a manual that on a scale of 1-10 probably would rank about 4. And our SOS likewise has no lawyer on staff, just a paralegal who lives on a different plane than those of us who actually use a seal to make a living.
But all of that simply makes it more important that a neophyte notary use available resources to the maximum. That includes the tri-fold brochure "manual" in New Hampshire, and contacting a minimally helpful SOS when indicated. And it puts even greater importance on maximizing the use of non-official resources such as NotRot and the Signing Registry.
| Reply by lawrenceOK on 1/15/05 3:17pm
Msg #16912
Re: A new approach -- oops II
Since the NNA started to advertize big bucks to become an NSA, maybe they ought to make sure those NSA's know their states basic notary laws also. I wonder what the original founders of the NNA would think today.
| Reply by CarolynCO on 1/15/05 3:21pm
Msg #16913
Re: A new approach -- oops II
Maureen posts "I don't think you realize how little direction is given to new notaries by some of the states. In my instance it's ongoing. I call the SOS and get told they can't answer legal questions and Miss Snippet on the end of the phone tells me what she would do. I ask if there is a law or regulation to back this up and do they have a lawyer on staff. NO and NO . Well where do you get legal advise. From the AG's office."
Maureen, unfortunately, since state notary laws all differ. By posting a state-specific question here, it's somewhat like a crap shoot or talking to your Miss Snippet. Unless a poster tells us what state they are from and there is another notary from that state, the answers they are looking for, may not be the correct ones they will receive.
| Reply by Lee/AR on 1/15/05 5:30pm
Msg #16919
Amen, his Hughness
And I've saved it...if you don't get there fast enough, I will.
| Reply by LauraV on 1/15/05 6:21pm
Msg #16923
Terrific post n/m
| Reply by hishughness on 1/15/05 7:16pm
Msg #16928
Re: Terrific post n/m
you never cease to amaze me, excellent post!!!!!!!
| Reply by mike/ca on 1/15/05 7:48pm
Msg #16931
Re: Terrific post opps
sorry put in the wrong author
| Reply by kmnotary_CA on 1/15/05 10:04pm
Msg #16937
Re: Terrific post opps
Hugh,
Yep, I still think your message should be at the beginning of ALL Posts, just to make sure it is seen each and every day!
| Reply by Jolene Lien on 1/16/05 2:03pm
Msg #16985
Great Answer!
| Reply by Happy in Fl on 1/18/05 2:26am
Msg #17159
Hugh stated...."just a paralegal who lives on a different plane than those of us who actually use a seal to make a living".
This early morning ,Tuesday -January 18th, AOL News 'on Sign on' is showing the New Air-bus bigger than the White House, Wing tip to Wing tip-- Now that is a Plane to be on!
(chuckle)
| Reply by Allison Maxwell on 1/18/05 9:46am
Msg #17178
Thank God I'm not new any more
I would have responded......... with an OUCH!
But newbies... feel free to ask....... me anything..... but also, read the previous post first... Logs of good stuff. That's what and it helps.
stay focused... business will pick up for all. I'm encouraged..../
thanks for all the help
allison
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