Welcome aboard @mrs.mistydparker. As a suggestion, it is not credible or safe to assume a “new hire” notary being hired by any particular client is inexperienced. I have been doing this for 11 years in 3 different states, and my most recent mistake was just last month (forgot to stamp for a second signer on a single doc). Yup! I admitted to it! But more importantly, “experience” alone does not eliminate “mistakes or error.” What’s more important is, that you are aware that signing agencies are not hiring inexperienced notaries (because we simply just don’t know that). Regardless of the fee offered, why would any client “want” to hire an inexperienced notary, especially premeditated, as it helps them NONE! The low fee is for just that… not looking for an inexperienced notary, but to get the biggest bang for their buck, just like you do when you go shopping. The mere fact you hold a notary commission and are certified as a NSA makes you qualified in their eyes, because the liability and responsibility beyond that lies on you!
Have you been busy with C2C lately? Just wondering.
I haven’t done any closings with them since Feb… my directs are keeping me pretty busy enough. I has been a good week.
The truth is quite welcome! Thank you @mannie1950 
Refreshing to see some truly useful, honest, direct, non-divisive posts to assist business owners in making a determination about their future.
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The presumption is that Notary Café members are intelligent, experienced, and are fully cognizant of their value & transferrable skills . . .
. . . while avoiding being disingenuous and/or disrespectful by always endeavoring to provide the tools/info that is helpful for self-sufficiency and simultaneously never sugar-coating, misleading, giving “false hope,” or omitting critical elements of the Success equation within this challenging business sector.
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On the positive side; To all my Fellow Notaries just letting you know that I am doing pretty fair looking into the future, word of advise to those new Notaries and the ones struggling, with these waves of Immigrants coming into this country; contact Immigration Lawyers, there is plenty for you if you act prompt and wisely, the paper work is nor more than 30 pages and guess what? NO NOTARIZATIONS!, do not listen to these Notaries misleading you into unreal expectations, hope I was useful in this post, Best Wishes for ya’ll, I’ll be around, enjoy your summer!
@mannie1950 did you get grapebed’s permission to post that here. Cross-posting is a no-no and is frowned upon.
AND immigration docs IF allowed in your state…CA says no unless you’re a licensed immigration consultant and I believe TX restricts it (could be wrong about TX) …just seems to remember reading something about that.
I’ve been doing this for a while and if they weren’t hiring inexperienced notaries then why the sudden addition of long check lists that even new Notaries who took the basics NNA certification would know how to complete. A mistake every now and then is normal, but when a company says we are seeing a lot of … and goes on to list simple stuff that’s in every package I think it’s safe to assume either they are new, inexperienced, or just don’t care… either way it’s causing issues for everyone else. I personally don’t like printing six pages of instructions going over the most basic stuff and having to initial and sign them. It isn’t just new Notaries I realized that recently. As a Loan Officer also I’ve had a few Notaries close my loans through Title companies and sometimes I’m literally left shaking my head! One had been a Notary for 20+ Years and was trying to making both people sign the note (only one person on the note.) Luckily as the LO I was there and able to stop them.
Good catch!!!
I’m not sure what “a while” means in your tenure of doing this, but I can say this: Checklists attached to instructions have always been a thing, especially with certain clients who specialize in certain transaction that yield back a lot of errors (like Trusts, POA’s, reverse mortgages and GOV backed loans, VA, FDA, USDA, etc). It’s merely a CYA thing from a business perspective. This way, if you still don’t drink the water after they took you to it, you can’t blame them (is their thought).
On a side note, there is a lot of stuff in those checklists and instructions that the NNA doesn’t cover, nor should they, but the NNA DOES tell you to follow the clients instructions, even if it means filling out their checklist attached to them. MOST errors are usually made not following the clients instructions, not so much on the “NNA basics” just by reading forum posts and participating in trainings. This is a common problem. Notaries focus on covering the NNA basic stuff (protecting their commission), and don’t apply the same focus on the clients instructions and requirements, which the NNA has no say in.
In my experience, when doing a loan package, the majority of the NSA’s work is what I call “client work.” Notarial Acts are just a small portion of the process at the table. Keep in mind different clients use several of their own internal forms outside of the “standard” forms most get “trained on” for a particular transaction. So to me, if a client is making up their own forms to have filled out/signed, the least they can do is tell us what/how they want those forms filled out/signed.
For example, there is a Patriot Act Form, but if you have been doing this for a good amount of time, you will see that lenders/Title will also include their own ID verification form. Sounds redundant, but if we want to get paid, we have to give them what they asked for. I’ve seen on this forum alone where one “assumed” because the patriot Act form was there, there was no need to fill out the clients ID verification form. This is why things get added to a checklist. As for the NNA basic stuff you mentioned in the checklists? It’s there for a reason, and pinpointing (blaming) it on inexperienced (or new) notaries? We just don’t know that, its an “assumption”. MOST clients have no idea the experience level of the notary who accepts their job, unless solicited directly.
To me, the checklist is a great tool for our QC process at the end, as some don’t give them at all. I use it to ensure I’m giving the client what they are looking for in return, not for the “basics.”
A common misconception, which leads to errors, is when a person goes to the table doing a loan package thinking they are a Notary. They need to be thinking they are a “Notary Signing Agent.”
A common misconception, which leads to errors, is when a person goes to the table doing a loan package thinking they are a Notary. They need to be thinking they are a “Notary Signing Agent.”
And, psychologist (maybe even psychiatrist), minister, policeman, interpreter, counselor and on-site loan officer/escrow officer/title officer.
(Just thought I’d check in on a slow Saturday 
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Haha, no way pal, I am not a “psychologist (maybe even psychiatrist), minister, policeman, interpreter, counselor and on-site loan officer/escrow officer/title officer” !!! None! But I know what you mean though:)
If I am acting as such I am stepping out of my scope of practice:). 
I am JUST a scary Notary Signing Agent! I’m in and out! 
You always do well because you have a great attitude! You don’t spend energy on complaining or whining! You make the grass grow! You find an innovative way to make yourself valuable! Any organization would be happy to have you as a notary! You strive to be successful! You help others in need with a green attitude! Have a Blessed Day!!!
Thank you so much for those kind words.