When I first became a SA, I did all the work on my own. I spent countless hours doing the research in order to understand my new profession. I started out slow but got busier and busier each month. I first started reading this message board late last year and have come to learn who really knows their stuff and who just likes to spew. While I appreciate the knowledge of most there are some who, while undoubtedly knowledgeable, choose most often not to offer their knowledge but, instead, choose to berate the newcomers on this board when they ask a question that's deemed unnecessary by the "professionals."
I've read all of the comments about how new people should do a search before asking dumb questions and how it's stupid to think that we'd want to help out our competition with free education but then my question becomes what is this board really for if not for these things? I thought it was for people to ask questions and get advice and opinions of others who may know the answers, as well as to share funny notary experiences and also sometimes even a little off-topic humor. However, I've read over and over that people need to understand that we can't be excited about helping our competition get ahead. I'm no stranger to running a business so I completely understand not wanting to give everything away but if we stop providing answers to others, we're no different than any other message board.
I must admit there have been times when I've found myself reading a post that you could find repeated 500 times throughout the board and just sighed in frustration but, when I first came to this site, it honestly didn't even dawn on me to utilize the search button. Maybe that's just me not being resourceful and I have used it many times since then but when I see someone who asks a question that a simple search would answer, I have to remember that maybe they just don't realize that they can find the answer so easily. It's very disheartening to read the responses of some of the older, (should be) more respected posters on this board and how many ways they can find to tell the person to do a search in a most insulting manner. Don't assume I think all people who ask those questions are just ignorant. I know there are some who just want a freebie and don't want to do the work. However, it would be so much better and professional to suggest a search in a different way.
I know there are places that are way too saturated with SAs but there are other places, like where I am, that there is no other competition and I could really benefit from the knowledge of CaliNotary or BrendaTX, among others. However, I'm often afraid to ask because I've seen too many people that have been shut up by a hurtful, rude comment that was unnecessary. How many times have we heard "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?"
We are professionals in this field but there are many times I read posts by so-called "professionals" that astonish me. You would not go to a professional workplace and hear someone berate another person for asking a question that person thinks is stupid...at least not to their face. Maybe that's it. I'd be surprised if a lot of the comments posted here are anything the actual posters would have the guts to say if they were face to face with the other person...except CaliNotary. I've read enough of his posts to know he'd say exactly what was on his mind, without regard to the other person's feelings.
Please don't think I think everything should be all sunshine and roses because that's just not life but there is a professional way to handle ourselves and there's no reason we should talk down to anyone in our respected profession when we wouldn't talk down to lenders or borrowers. Just my humble opinion...I don't really expect to make a difference by speaking my mind, I just had to get it off my chest. Now I'll prepare myself for the firing squad.  |
