How to Follow Instructions: Hiring Parties Are Watching...AND Judging

When I owned a signing company that hired notaries across the country, I saw firsthand how a simple skill, following instructions, could make or break a signing. 

We weren’t sending generic order confirmations. We created customized instructions for each appointment. Tailored details about the signers, the documents, the client’s preferences, and the non-negotiable requirements. 

And we didn’t just email them to the hired notary. We followed up with texts. Sometimes, we even called to stress how important it was to read the instructions before heading to the appointment.

And yet… time and time again, we had notaries who completely ignored them.

They missed crucial details. 

They asked questions that were already answered in bold, underlined, highlighted instructions. 

Some even went rogue, assuming they knew best, only for us to find out later that they had done something completely different from what was required. They used black ink instead of blue. Or printed on letter sized paper only. Or missed the FedEx cutoff requirement. Or failed to capture identification. 

Or. Or. Or. 

Those mistakes weren’t just frustrating. They were costly. Clients lost trust. We lost business. And the notaries who couldn’t follow instructions lost future opportunities.

This isn’t a minor issue. It’s the entire job.

Paying Attention to Details Is Your Competitive Edge

Your ability to follow instructions is a direct reflection of your professionalism, your reliability, and your respect for the work you do. People are making judgments about you every day based on this one skill, whether you notice (or like ) it or not.

It’s not just about reading an email. It’s about understanding and executing what’s expected of you.

Why Some Notaries Excel at This (And Others Fail Miserably)

Notaries who excel at following instructions understand that details matter. They know that when a hiring party takes the time to provide specifics, it’s for a reason. 

These notaries read carefully, highlight key points, and double-check their work before submitting anything. They take pride in being thorough. They don’t need to be micromanaged. They are the ones who get repeat business.

The notaries who struggle with this skill usually fall into one of these traps:

• They assume they already know. Instead of reading the instructions, they glance at the job details and wing it. This leads to mistakes.
• They skim. They see what they expect to see, rather than what’s actually there. If a client has special instructions buried in the middle of an email, they miss it entirely.
• They get distracted. Instead of focusing, they try to juggle too many things at once, leading to sloppy execution.
• They rush. They think speed is more important than accuracy, but what they fail to realize is that fixing mistakes later takes far longer than doing it right the first time.
• They don’t respect the process. If they don’t see the hiring party as “important,” they assume the instructions don’t really matter. This is dangerous thinking. 

How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything

There’s a powerful theory that says, how you do anything is how you do everything. It’s a reminder that your approach to even the smallest tasks reflects your overall mindset and professionalism. 

This is especially worth distinguishing because, in my experience, notaries sometimes dismiss instructions or speak rudely to course providers or others they perceive as “less important.” 

But here’s the truth: those habits spill over. 

The way you treat “small” moments becomes the way you treat “big” opportunities. Ignoring details or showing disrespect in one context signals that you might do the same with a client, a hiring party, or someone who holds your reputation in their hands. 

Every interaction, no matter how seemingly minor, is a chance to build trust, demonstrate respect, and strengthen your professional image. By bringing care and attention to everything you do, you’ll create a ripple effect of excellence that sets you apart.

If Not Us, Who?

As notaries, we are the last line of defense before documents become legally binding. If we don’t pay attention to the details, who will? If we don’t follow instructions, who can our clients trust?

This job is about more than just stamping a piece of paper. It’s about integrity. It’s about protecting signers. It’s about ensuring that what needs to happen, happens exactly as it should.

We don’t get to cut corners. 

We don’t get to assume. 

We don’t get to shrug off instructions as “suggestions.”

How to Set Yourself Apart

1. Read everything...twice. First for general understanding, second for details.
2. Highlight key action items. If the client says, “Call the signer 30 minutes before arrival,” make a note of it.
3. Eliminate distractions. When reviewing instructions, focus only on the task at hand.
4. Double-check before submitting. Before you leave the signing, before you send an email, before you ship the documents, review your work. I have a quadruple-check policy for my signings. 
5. Be resourceful before asking. If the answer is in the instructions, find it. Don’t make a hiring party repeat themselves.

Here's What's Real

Notaries who take instructions seriously are the ones who get referrals, who get paid more, and who build long-term success. Those who don’t get filtered out, usually quietly. 

Because in this business, trust is everything.

At the end of the day, your success as a notary entrepreneur isn’t about luck, it’s about habits. 

The ones who thrive are the ones who show up, pay attention, and execute with precision. 

Following instructions is just one piece of the puzzle, but it’s a powerful one. It builds trust, earns repeat business, and sets you apart in an industry where details matter. 

If you’re serious about sharpening your skills, growing your business, and learning the habits that high-performing notaries swear by, join us inside High Performance Notary.

 Start with a free trial and see for yourself what’s possible when you commit to getting better, every single day.

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