The 2010 census is fast approaching and as usual it provides a lot of opporutunity for part-time work for people. Work begins in spring of 2009 with most hiring taking place from February through May of 2009. As I understand it the hours are pretty flexible and workers can work from 20-40 hours per week.
What do census takers do?
Census takers usually work in their own neighborhoods or communities, which is convenient, and from what I have read, there are two main job opportunites…
Updating Address Lists
During the Address Canvassing operation, census takers visit all the places where people live or could live. The census taker must knock on each resident’s door and if someone answers explain that he or she is verifying the correct address for a short census questionnaire that will be mailed in 2010.
Conducting Interviews
These operations involve knocking on doors and conducting interviews with residents.
How much do census jobs pay?
The US census job page doesn’t mention a specific rate. However, after doing some more research I found a job board with a listing for 2010 census takers that indicates a wage of $11.75/hour + $.585/mile. I did see mentions of higher wages elsewhere, so my hunch is that they pay based on local standards. For instance, the cost of living is a lot higher in San Diego than it is in Tulsa, therefore they probably will be paying a lower wage in Tulsa than in San Diego.
I am not sure where the $11.75 wage falls, hopefully on the lower end, but I am not sure. Either way, I think that is still a pretty decent wage for a very easy job without a degree.
Qualifications for census taker positions
According to the census job site these are the qualifications…
- You must be able to read, write, and speak english
- You must be a U.S. citizen
- You must be at least 18 years old
- You must pass a written test of basic skills
- You must pass a background check
- You must commit to 4 days of paid training during the day, evening, or weekend.
How to apply for a census job
The first step is to call and schedule an appointment to take the skills test… 1-866-861-2010. You can also use this map to local your local census office directly.
Have you ever been a census taker before? If so, please tell us about it in the comments
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