Working World

Every 10 years, meaning in 2010, the Census Bureau hires hundreds of thousands of people for temporary part-time and full-time work, and you can be one of them! It’s an especially great opportunity for students, retirees and those seeking extra income.

The Census Bureau isn’t just about counting every person in the United States. Local, state and federal government representation depends on the populations of each area. Likewise, census statistics determine how the government distributes resources.

So, what does the job, you ask? That partly depends on the position you get, but most involve going from residence to residence in your assigned area to verify addresses. A small hand-held computing device transmits information to a central location. If you happen  to land an office job, those usually involved standard office data processing.

Weekly paychecks and mileage reimbursement make this work an attractive option. The Census Bureau provides up to four days paid training, including travel time. You can also count on flexible hours, with the possibility of some weekend and evening work.

As part of the application, there is a pre-employment test that must be taken, which can be found online. The site also provides a list of the documentation you will need.

All workers must speak English, but other language skills are highly desirable.

The official census day is April 1, 2010, but the bulk of the hiring will be February through May 2009, with some of the jobs lasting past April 2010.