I might have been very lucky seeing your answers, but it took me around seven months to make a noble from my advy, and I was not exactly hunting monsters all the time. I just sought for rare items every day, and soon I managed to get the three items and recommendations. So is it too much easy? I don't think so. As I've said, I might have been just lucky there. But I also approve some way of controlling who becomes a noble and who doesn't. I would see very weird having Terrence's nobility recognised by D'Hara, for example.
Edit: This happened in Beluaterra, just prior to the last Invasion, so it might have affected my odds, I don't know. Though I have a friend with adventurers in Dwilight and Beluaterra, and despite him hunting every time he is able to he hasn't managed a single recommendation yet.