This is a professional board for notaries. When you have the designation of "Notary Public" after your name, there goes with that the inherent responsibility of knowing the laws of your state.
Unfortunately, many come here who were swept up by the NNA recruiting fervor of "part-time effort, full-time income", and all that they know about being a notary is that you have to be one to do loan signings and begin making money. So they jump through that necessary hoop without any real idea of the large responsibilities that go with the title. They come here often exhibiting some sense of entitlement because they had an NNA course - "Now that I have my stamp, where's all the work?" and Please give me a list of companies" are common refrains. These folks often have no sense of the history (notaries go back over two thousand years!), sanctity, or integrity associated with what is a PUBLIC office of TRUST.
When someone comes to the board asking the most basic of questions, they can expect criticism for a) not knowing the basics that their title says they should know, or b) not utilizing the many resources available to find out. One of the reasons for this is that it exhibits a lack of professionalism as well as a degree of incompetence. Rather than feeling insulted or "flamed", consider the advice from others about doing your own research and giving the respect that the office of Notary Public deserves. If we do not police ourselves by demanding a higher standard of excellence, then sooner or later someone else will police us, and perhaps even more states will go attorney-only.
The bottom line is that one is a NOTARY first and a signing agent a distant second. Those that would criticize are only trying to raise the bar that was lowered when NNA began pumping out more and more notaries (and creating their own members) lured by the carrot of easy money. The veterans here are trying to HELP you be a better Notary/SA by hoping you LEARN from their comments, and maybe PREVENT you from making a mistake that could jeopardize someone's home loan.
No one here will hesitate to help with a legitimate question, whether posed publicly or privately. We were all new once, and a lot of bizarre/interesting situations do occur. But if one
comes on here not knowing the difference between an ack and a jurat, or what to put for a venue on the county line of the notary certificate, then expect to learn a lesson from those you would be a peer with, and yes, grow a thicker skin.
Please take my comments in the spirit in which they're intended; you expect the mechanic who works on your brakes to be professional and competent, and they are not turned loose upon customers until they do; the public, lenders/TC/SS and your fellow notaries expect a similar standard from you. When posters show they haven't the basics, but still want to cash in, it is frustrating, and cheapens the title they would share with us.
|
