As I go through the other directories looking for Notaries to add, I notice a correlation between the quality of your photo and the quality of how you do in real life on my site. I cross-reference data on my site to photos on Snapdocs for example. Here is what I noticed.

1. A good photo shows your face clearly. Some mediocre photos show a person far from the camera, and perhaps with other people.

2. A good photo has a good background. If you show a photo of you in your messy house, or in a neighborhood with lots of trees, cars, and buildings, it is disorienting to the person looking at the photo. If you show the wall of an attractive building behind you, or one where the background doesn’t distract from the main point of the photo (you), then that is a good point. Those with professional photos often have a solid color background behind them. Additionally, if you are wearing a dark shirt or have a dark skin tone and have a dark background, you blend into the background. If you wear dark, have a light background. If you wear a white shirt, perhaps a darker background.

3. Some people come across as very beautiful or sexy. That might be nice for a dating app. Remember, you are on Notary apps, and your clients probably don’t want to date you, and probably don’t want to date them — although you never know. After a few drinks the game changes completely. Try to look professional.

4. Try to look like someone who works in a bank or office who handles paperwork. Some of the people on SnapDocs look like lowlifes, or like people who work at the corner store. People who are serious about hiring a Notary want someone who looks like a professional clerical type. You don’t have to look that smart, but you do have to look responsible and conservative. So, if you drink a lot, or do drugs, or are tired, don’t have your photo taken until you can appear sober, alert, well dressed, and presentable.

SUMMARY
Most of the Notaries on Snapdocs and NotaryCafe look like people I wouldn’t hire even if it were to save my own life. Many people look like they have attitude problems, or look unprofessional, or worse. People who don’t eat properly or who take drugs or too much alcohol develop an air of haziness and have a faded appearance. You can spot these types very easily. They look like people who are mentally slow, and who will not get things done correctly or on time — and above all, will not care. If you want to get hired — don’t look like that.

I can sense a lot by tuning into people, and their photos. Some women look like they have anger problems. Others look depressed, terrified, or something else. When you are handling half million dollar loans, you need to look like a methodical clerical type who is pleasant, but not too emotional. Try to fit the part so to speak when you are having your photo taken and in real life.

People with good photos have a one in three chance of being acceptable to 123notary after we are done talking to them and quizzing them. Those with no photo or a mediocre photo are in my experience not worth adding as they are more like a less than 10% chance of worth keeping.

SUGGESTIONS
If you want to do well as a Notary, most sites have the option to post a photo. 123notary does not do this as we focus on information and not a fashion show. However, a photo reveals a lot about your soul and who you are, or at least who you are pretending to be.

1. Investing $100 or more on a professional photo shoot makes sense. Being well rested, wearing professional attire and having someone top notch take 50 photos of you in different poses and backgrounds makes sense. You choose the best ones and work with those. I did this for dating apps and got tons of responses from my top notch photos. The photo worked miracles, although I didn’t meet anyone compatible. But, married life is like a prison I hear, so I am happy that I have my freedom. But, as a Notary, you want clients, not freedom, so get a photo taken by a pro.

2. Spend time having photos taken of you with different professional looking outfits and backgrounds and then compare them. You will do much better with photos if you can pick the best one out of several dozen or several hundred. The average guy just takes some sub-par photo and upload it and then wonder why nobody calls them. Don’t be that guy.

3. Spend some time looking at photos of people who do look like professional clerical types and try to see how they portray themselves. I find that they are not too happy, not sad, not too fashionable, but neatly kept. They dress like they work at an office, but not too fancy usually. They keep their hair neat. Most of all, they look like they get work done in a timely manner.

4. SigningAgent.com has a much higher rate of professional looking people. Whether they are good Notaries or not remains to be seen, but most of the photos look like people I would not have an issue with at a minimum.

5. How you present yourself in general really matters. Having a clear photo where you can see your face easily when it is a thumbnail photo, and with a clear background is key. Most Notaries do not give much relevant information in their notes section. Having reviews from clients about your service is also critical and very few new additions to our site have even one review. Lastly, being certified by 123notary, Notary2Pro and LSS really helps a lot. If you have all the bells and whistles, your phone will probably ring.

But, if you have a bad photo, just remember this:
A mediocre photo is worth 1000 words — misspelled words.