New NSA, first post. I’m running into the “you don’t have any experience” when applying to a lot of these signing agencies.
Thoughts and advice? I’ve been a notary for a year and have general notary experience, am a legal Administrative Assistant in estate planning so have some (small) related experience, NNA certified as a signing agent. Is the hope of snapdocs coming through on some signings the only one I have to get me the experience I need?
Probably not. You have more ‘experience’ than many–make sure you highlight it in profiles. Sign up on the big 3 directories (this is one) and be patient…and never, ever accept a lowball fee, thinking you’ll get more when you are experienced. Doesn’t work that way and you’ll just be putting yourself in the unprofitable bargain bin. However, reality is there are more NSAs than jobs, but, eventually, your break will come.
Thank you. Crossing fingers this is true. I need this to break open and start providing some supplemental income. Thankfully, I’m not dependent on this alone, but that’s also a catch 22 with availability for signings. I’ve had a few offered from snapdocs but were out of my locale for very little money.
What are the big three directories, I have this one and snapdocs.
SnapDocs is really a platform; tho’ it doubles as a directory of sorts. It really isn’t cool to be naming other competing directories so you’ll have to figure out the broad clue 123notaryrotary.
I am a new signing Agent as well. I have not had a signing yet. I have signed up with as many platforms as I could.
Sign up for lower paying signing services like NotaryGo which aren’t as fussy about your experience so long as you meet the minimum requirements like NNA Signing Agent Certification, a current background check, and $25k E&O. They don’t pay as well and many here are vociferous on not accepting orders from them due to that lower pay but that’s how you gain experience and grow the number of signings you have. Take anything, don’t be concerned with the low pay at this point in your career. Getting signings should be your only goal and that’s pretty much no matter how low the pay is. Coast2Coast is better for beginners too. NotaryGo is where I got my start and I have to say that while the pay wasn’t great and their document page counts are big, the experience gained was great. I barely do any for NotaryGo any more but I sure appreciated them in the beginning. Good luck. 
I think you have to take this advice with a grain of salt. Maybe it works well in a highly notary-saturated area, just do be a bit choosy and, at the very least, do NOT accept a fee so low that you’re working for peanuts! I really don’t advocate putting yourself in the bargain bin–ever! I still work infrequently for NotaryGo…because they will pay MY fee…because I never was in any bargain bin. Might be a strategy, but you’ve got to be very careful about which companies you do this with because some just always start out ridiculously low, BUT often rapidly negotiate to a much higher fee. You don’t want to try this ‘take it, regardless’ with those companies.
As a newbie, I appreciate all the dialogue and varying opinions. I appreciate the responses. Thank you.
