Posted by CarolF/NC on 11/5/13 7:18pm
Msg #491466

Read This

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/29/dc-natl-notary-assoc-idUSnBw295730a+100+BSW20131029

Reply by Lee/AR on 11/5/13 7:29pm
Msg #491469

press release = advertisement

Marketing IS what they're good at. The only thing they're good at.

Reply by ikando on 11/5/13 8:33pm
Msg #491477

Re: press release = advertisement

I've been commenting to their press releases for the last two days. They have a very good distribution group. This will be seen anywhere anything about mortgages or CFPB can be found.

Reply by HSH/WA on 11/5/13 10:26pm
Msg #491490

Re: As I've said before, whatever else XYZ is,

they are good at marketing. Time will come when you have to have this to get a closing. It will turn out that only XYZ's cert is the industry standard - not to worry they will give you a credit if you foolishly bought a cert from someone else lol.

Reply by CJ on 11/6/13 9:58am
Msg #491539

So discouraging.

My business has gone for 2-3 per day to 1 a week. I am worried about money and trying to figure out how to get more GNW. I wonder, is this the end of my notary career? Should I go out and get a real job? Who would take me? I'm in the "too old" category, and no college degree. In the midst of this crises (that everyone is facing), the NNA comes up with all these big ideas about how to take what little money I do have for their mandatory background checks and "certification". Why don't they do something USEFUL? Like make title put us on the hud separately so we are guaranteed payment? Why don't they lean on lenders and title to raise our fees? It's not like the lenders and title actually have to pay it. Then NNA would be my hero.

I said in another post that when I started 13 years ago, the docs were 50 pages. Now they are more than double that, which uses twice my ink, twice my paper, twice my time, and yet no one wants to pay me twice what I made before. And when things were busy, I could only book half the jobs because I can't book them an hour apart like I used to when docs were 50 pages. So I'm doing twice the work for half the pay.

No one says to me, "Wow. You have all this experience and you do a fabulous job. We'll give you an automatic raise". Instead, they basically say, "Since the workload is down, we need to cover our overhead, so we are cutting your fee." And of course, the big kick-in-the-behind: "Even though you have been doing this flawlessly for 13 years, now we are going to require a background check and give you a script to keep you in line". Thanks a bunch.

Just venting. Thanks for listening.

Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 11/6/13 10:24am
Msg #491552

Re: So discouraging.

CJ the only way you are going to get that pat on the back is if you do it. I think you should look at a Plan B. start another business that will be more lucrative. Don't think that a college degree is the end all and be all. It's not. There are plenty of unemployed people with college degrees. To move on, you must be positive. Take stock of your strengths and weaknesses. Capitalize on your strengths. YOU can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it. There are many people who made their money in their fifties and older. If necessary see a career counselor. These services can be free if you look in the right place. If you call up your local SCORE office, I bet they can get you going in the right direction. Zig Ziglar once said: The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over, but expecting different results. Good Luck!

Reply by CJ on 11/6/13 11:02am
Msg #491565

Thanks Shoshana. :)

Thanks Shoshana. You are very encouraging. I know we are all facing the same pile of nonsense. I'm going to hang in there.

I was a waitress and a school bus driver. Then I got married and stayed home for 10 years. Then I got a divorce, and I was really in fix because I had no "education" and no job experience. I drove school buses again and went to paralegal school at night. I found I had a knack for legalese and the law, and I graduated Valedictorian. I only got reception jobs, and they would let me go when it was time to give me benefits. That went on for a couple of years. I went back to vocational school and paid another huge pile of money to become a programmer. I have NO aptitude for that. Sporadic employment after that for another couple of years.

My stepmother was a mobile notary, her friend got her into it, so she helped me get into this until "something better came along". Well, I was GOOD at this. As long as those signatures showed up at title the next day (and I didn't break the law), they just kept sending me work. I understood the legalese in the docs, and could explain without giving advice or opinions.

With this job, I paid off debts that an old boyfriend had me co-sign, I moved out of my rented room into an apartment, got married, we bought a mobile home, fixed it up, sold that, and now we own a little house. We could not have done this without BOTH incomes. I am so grateful for the freedom this job gave me, even though I was practically never home. As long as I worked hard, didn't break the law, and didn't complain, they kept sending me jobs. I didn't care if I was working at 5:00 am, or 11:30 pm, at least I was working. My favorite part was no office politics.

I think if I go back to work, I would try to get an entry level job in a law firm. It's either that, or start selling all my junk on ebay, or maybe become a world famous oil painter. (I have the talent and I am self-taught, but I'm still an amateur.) After I clean up the house (for the zillionth time) and get my Sterling BGC, I'm going to work on my painting again and see if the local art association is open yet. Maybe I can get something in their Christmas line-up.

Thanks again Shohsana.

Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 11/6/13 12:50pm
Msg #491590

There you go CJ! YOU CAN DO THIS!

I am proud of you for looking for the possibilities. You know, James is selling his art work through his NotRot profile. You can too! Look at what an amazing opp this is for you to go to the next step on your journey. I have to tell you that 30 years ago my husband and and I traveled cross country with a 2 year old and 2 cats for a job opportunity for him. We both left good jobs in NY. Lucky for us that we left. He might still have been working in the World Trade Center on 9/11. We don't know what God has in store for us. Enjoy the Jouney!

Reply by Christine/OK on 11/6/13 1:45pm
Msg #491597

CJ: I have had to 'reinvent' several times & the 'blueprint'

that Shoshana has succinctly laid out is nearly to the 'letter' how I have been successful with each reinvention.

The KEY to it all is believing that you can contribute in a positive way. Once you plant that seed, your brain will begin to work feverishly on achieving that objective.

You will then find yourself noticing all sorts of unusual serendipitous events and 'coincidences.' The important aspect of that is: Take action as your dream is calling to you to come forth with each coincidence. Pretty amazing sometimes . . .

Once in a while it will require turning the 'binoculars' around the other way and looking at it from a different perspective and that is where a career counselor, SCORE, or Small Business Administration officer can be of integral support to you! Best wishes and hope you can still be involved and grow simultaneously!

Reply by CJ on 11/6/13 4:44pm
Msg #491620

James "who" is selling his art?

I want to see his art!

Thanks for all your encouragement. I know we are all in the same boat.

I used to be afraid to work on my paintings during the day, because the phone might ring right when I'm really in the zone. Now I am hoping that by painting, it might "make" the phone ring.

James: if you are out there, please send me a pm so we can be art-friends.