Posted by BrendaTx on 5/12/06 8:25am
Msg #119377

New folks...First Impressions...

Tuesday, I saw an ad in the paper for the Small Business Development Center - a part-time job for MWF -20 hrs. This is a very clannish, clique-oriented community. I figured I had a snow-ball's chance in He&& of getting it but I sent a letter and my resume via email.

An hour later the phone rang.

I chatted with "Jack" about the job and he said they'd like to interview me and if I were to take the job I'd be able to take off to do my appointments. That sounded rather promising!

Got there and interviewed for two hours. No big deal and it felt "right."

I left and the phone rang in 30 minutes.

Jack offered me the job. They did not even check references.

He said these things:

You answered your phone like a pro. That almost got you the job.

You had no spelling errors on your resume and that's important for a content writer involved in training!

You have worked at getting skills that take years to learn and cannot be taught in school.

You tell other notaries to make a business plan and anyone starting any kind of business needs to know if there is a market. You already know how to do this job.

First impressions count in signings and in real jobs. I am not being paid slave wages, either. It's enough to make it worth my while and more than they paid the last person.

Visit your local SBDC to find out how to start a business. Pay attention to first impressions on your materials and in your phone etiquette. Whodda thought it? I never realized that was something that got me jobs in the past.


The second part of this message is: Do not give away your services to signing companies. Get a temp or part-time job to fill in your gaps in income to make up the difference. The signing business is a real business. Treat it like one or expect to be in the hole. I am not in the hole...I just see I need more income and I know the market here. However, my machines are still working, my car has tires on it and my business is not in the red. It won't go in the red - I'll just cease to operate if the business gets that bad.

Sometimes the answer is NO. I suspect with the contacts through my job my business will grow. Work smarter, like Kelly says. Do not give your time and resources away. Do not be afraid to work part-time or full-time again to support yourself and make the money you need to pay the bills.

Reply by LkArrowhd/CA on 5/12/06 8:35am
Msg #119381

Re: New folks...First Impressions...Congratulations to you! n/m

Reply by Stamper_WI on 5/12/06 8:53am
Msg #119384

I work part time for Realtors..kind of a roving assistant. Because I still hold a licence, I can do referals as well for seller and buyers. Al lot of what I do for them is at home and they are good about flexibility for the notary biz.
The other perk is that I have a consistant group of professionals I net work with locally which has proven to help the notary biz. They are also my freinds which is the best of all worlds.

Reply by MelissaCT on 5/12/06 10:00am
Msg #119403

First impressions are the biggest things of all the little things you do. Judgements are made in the first few seconds of any interaction between people.

Congrats, Brenda! Good advise for all, in general.

Reply by MichiganAl on 5/12/06 12:30pm
Msg #119454

Proof that some of us know what we've been talking about.

Of course, some still won't listen. But, congrats to you!

Reply by Blueink_CA on 5/12/06 4:01pm
Msg #119513

Brenda, I tried working a part-time job

along with my SA job. A friend asked me to help out in her business about 20 hours a week. I thought it would be no problem as it was early afternoons and most signings are after 6:00pm. It was also the understanding that I could take signing jobs if they came up. Well, Murphy must have been following me around because as soon as I started, everyone had to close in the afternoon.

I was going in late and leaving early most days. If I had been the boss I would have fired myself. The stress of trying to keep everybody happy, along with lost signings 'cause I wasn't always able to answer my phone, made me realize that I couldn't do both. Oh, and edocs were a huge problem. Even though I was told to go ahead and print at the job, the printer was so s-l-o-w. I attempted this dual career for a month. I was late getting to work, late getting to appts., late getting to bed.

I consider myself a pretty organized person, but I was not able to accomplish this without feeling inadequate in both roles. The extra money was not worth it. Actually I made about the same as before, but worked alot more. Hopefully, the stars will align for you and it will work out fine!

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/12/06 5:37pm
Msg #119535

Re: Brenda, I tried working a part-time job

Thanks, BlueInk...I think this is a fairly low key situation if I do not put my workaholism into the mix. I have considered the printer part and decided I'll purchase a printer to take to the office.

I will not succumb to the peanuts being handed out.

Reply by MelissaCT on 5/12/06 10:37pm
Msg #119598

Re: Brenda, I tried working a part-time job

I work FT & do signings PT -- of course, EOM it's like I'm working 2 FT positions...LOL I usually have OT in my "regular" job.

Luckily, I can answer my phone at work, although I try to keep it to a minimum, much like answering phone during a signing. I am able to print at work, after 5 & I supply my own paper -- the printing is SLOW, however & I can only do .pdf files due to network constraints. Of course, home is only 5 minutes from work, so that works out.

Pace yourself & remember what is the more important career path -- where your bread is buttered. You'll do fine.