Posted by kcg on 5/4/07 11:18am
Msg #188783

Dressing Professionally (Long)

I did some in-house closings for a local company recently and they had so many they brought in another notary - she was as bright and shiny as a new dime dressed in her Dockers, a bulky brightly striped sweater and her new Reboks. The LO's kept looking at her strangely. It occurred to me that some of the young notaries have never worked in an office situation and honestly do not know what "dressing professionally" really means. I'd like to offer some suggestions.

When you go into a financial institution, you will note that everyone working there is in business attire. As a signing agent, when you go into a borrower's home you are representing a financial institution. Often, you are the ONLY human the borrower will ever see and it inspires confidence in him/her when you look as though you actually work in the industry and are not the pizza-delivery person.

Footwear:
If your footwear are held to your feet by a thingy between your first and second toe it is NOT a shoe, it is a flip-flop. I don't care how many sequins, plastic flowers or pictures of Spiderman are on them....if they slap the soles of your feet when you walk, they are NOT business shoes. Also, if they bear the name Nike, Rebok or any other athletic company, again they are NOT business footwear. You may see people scurrying down the street dressed in business attire and tennies, but I can almost guarantee that they are either carrying their business shoes or they have a pair under their desk at work.

Slacks:
Business-attire slacks are not normally folded on shelves under the the Lee's or Dockers banner. They are hanging up in the section of the store where you will find tops and jackets to match. You don't have to spend a lot of money on them......JC Penney's, Kohls, etc., have an array on sale almost every day of the week. You can get a polyester blend that you just wash/dry and put back on without the need of an iron (Iron - def - a flat metal thing that, when plugged in can be used to take wrinkles out of clothes). There are other materials that business slacks are made of but they do NOT include anything held up by a string. Those are usually almost always sold in the Pajama/Loungewear section and that is just what they are. Not appropriate

Tops:
T-shirts are unacceptable. Doesn't matter how much you paid for that diamond-studded shirt that says "Spoiled", "B$$CH" or "I'm With Stupid" ....it's a T-shirt. Invest in a couple nice tops or blouses to match those ever-so-lovely polyester blend slacks or skirts. No, this is not the outfit you would wear to meet friends at the mall or the local bar but hey, you're working - representing a financial insitution, not playing. Also remember that you are NOT auditioning for Girls Gone Wild or to play a CSI agent on tv running from lab to lab solving crimes with your boobies hanging out. No need to have Mr. B's eyes glaze over while he concentrates more on your cleavage than the papers and Mrs. B would appreciate it also.

Grooming:
Along with lack of deoderant, greasy hair and armpit hair hanging out, nothing says "I'm simply NOT into personal grooming" more than chipped fingernail polish. Look at your nails before you dash out the door.....if the polish is chipped, fix it BEFORE you go to your signing. If you have no polish on and your nails have dirt (eww) under them, CLEAN them. Your hands are on display constantly during the signing. Remember, you are going for that professional look, not the grunge look. 4-inch decorated nails? Well, I won't even go there.

Makeup is a choice.....if you have lovely skin and can get by without wearing it and not have people (as in my case) say..."oh, you look so tired" or "oh, don't you feel well", then you're fine. I personally feel it completes my look - also I don't scare people when I'm wearing makeup.

If you are clean and have used your deoderant, then there is no reason to douse yourself with so much perfume that the borrowers pass out or have to fumigate when you leave. Some people have allergies to perfume - be considerate.

Don't wear clothing to try and show off all your tattoo's. Most of the borrowers are middle-aged or older......they are NOT impressed. In 10-20 years when EVERYONE on this planet has tats, then it'll be a different story. Also, ease up on the "bling" - it's pretty distracting for the borrowers.

Perhaps if we can all dress professionally, the companies we work for can stop sending pages of instructions on HOW to dress. And can concentrate on getting those docs corrected before they send them to us.....and can concentrate on paying us in a timely fashion....and.........

Reply by hcampersFL on 5/4/07 11:26am
Msg #188787

Great Post!

Great Post! I laughed, I cried (tears of laughter). Very well put. Shouldn't have to be said but I'm glad you said it.

Reply by Calnotary on 5/4/07 11:28am
Msg #188788

100% of the time I use a suit. It is not an Ermenegildo Zegna but it is a 300.00 suit, I can not imagine someone with dockers!

Reply by Mickey_Fan on 5/4/07 11:30am
Msg #188790

AMEN!!!

I work in an office all day, but our office is a very casual one. Jeans and company-shirt or T-shirt as long as it doesn't say anything, or warm-up suits are the norm. It is actually a relief to go out in something other than my "work" clothes ... I get to dress up a little.

While my office's dress code is very rare, we do "clean it up" on the days we are having multiple interviews; the candidates are there in full formal attire (suit, tie, highly-polished shoes) so we leave the tennies at home that day.

Barbara

Reply by SD/CA on 5/4/07 12:21pm
Msg #188801

I agree with the dress code and I always dress in a professional mannor. But, I have been on signings with the LO when they were in jeans, baggy sweaters and sloppy shoes.

Reply by Michelle_KY on 5/4/07 12:24pm
Msg #188802

Re: Loan Officer attire

I had one of those last week. The LO wore jeans, t-shirt, messy hair and sneakers.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 5/4/07 1:25pm
Msg #188815

AMEN n/m

Reply by JanelWI on 5/4/07 1:47pm
Msg #188818

Well, I must admit in the summer I do wear open toed shoes and closed, with straps when it is warm for comfort. They absolutely do not flop! There are many dress shoes out there that do not qualify as "Sport", I wear my dress slacks and quarter sleeve blouses as I am very fair skinned and burn easily. (Also, don't want to look like a leather boot when I'm 70) Winter I go with suits, that way I can leave the bulky jacket at home:-)

Reply by FWP/WA on 5/4/07 5:03pm
Msg #188853

I've worked in offices most of my working life, and a pair of dockers and Polo shirt have always been perfectly fine attire. This includes when I worked at the the US Consulate in Germany for 2 years.

I of course am fresh into the signing agent business, but it is my opinion that Dockers and a nice shirt, and dress shoes are plenty appropriate for a signing in someone's home. I think there is such a thing as being overdressed for the occasion.

Just my 2 pennies, and MHO

Reply by PJM/MI on 5/4/07 6:13pm
Msg #188868

Re:An added note...Nametag

EXCELLENT post!
I purchased a name tag from my local office supply store. It is a nice gold name tag with my name and "Notary Public" on it. The cost? $11.00 and some change.
I have many compliments on it, and it looks very professional when going into title offices, banks, and real estate offices.
I do wear it to the in-home closings, as like you said, "we are the face of the lender".
Blue jeans? I wore them ONCE to a closing.. and that was here in my own home at 6 am.

Reply by Roger_OH on 5/4/07 7:07pm
Msg #188900

Re: Dressing Professionally

Agree. I had polo/golf shirts in various colors embroidered with my company name on the left breast. The shirts, along with khakis and Skechers, have always been fine. The signers seem to appreciate the credibility that the company name provides, and it also helps show at the outset that I am NOT affiliated with their TC.

Reply by SueW/Tn on 5/4/07 7:52pm
Msg #188924

I agree with Roger

I know that IF I attempted to go out in a $350 suit and heels I'd most likely need a wrecker to help me up out of the creek that I sometimes have to cross to get up the hill to the BO's place. I would love to get all dressed up but it's just not doable here in my neck of the woods, I stick with slacks, blouse and "sensible" shoes for walking up and down those hills. As with nearly every aspect of our profession, it's all about location.

Reply by Michelle_KY on 5/4/07 8:02pm
Msg #188928

Re: Dressing Professionally

What a great idea for the men!