stupidmorals Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 So, I just got a job working for the census this year. I only really intended to work as an enumerator (go count people) but they hired me to be a crew leader (just one step higher). I take it that this means I'll be overseeing a group of enumerators (something else I've never really done before), but I'm still kinda uncertain as to what any of this actually entails. I have training coming up in a couple of weeks, but I was wondering if anyone had ever worked for a census before or knew someone that had. What did you do? What was it like? Was it worthwhile? Any tips? On a related note, if/when census takers showed up at your house, was there anything they did or said that you did/didn't like? Good or bad experiences I could possibly use as a reference point when overseeing the people for which I am responsible? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSkin Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Good luck. I took the test, passed it, went through the whole long interview process, then they sent me a letter saying I didn't qualify because I don't own a car. After I spent four hours in the federal government building wasting my time when I'd specifically asked whether I would be disqualified by my lack of a car. Anyway, I think you'll be fine. It probably won't be the most in-depth training or whatever, but it's not like it's forever anyway, so just have fun and get a few good stories. So to answer your question, I have no advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkHog Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I worked as a clerk in a special census. It was fun I guess. I was the only capable person so I ended up doing everyone else's work. Good luck being a crew leader, that basically means you have to deal with all the problem cases (i.e. someone shows up at the door with a shotgun and tells your enumerator to get off their property so you have to go and get the form filled out - that only happened once though) and fix all your enumerators mistakes. BTW, I'm just kidding about the shotgun part but as crew leader you will have to clean up everyone else's messes. Honestly, I have really fond memories of my time with the census. I was a little younger than you but enjoyed it quite a lot. The only annoying thing is cleaning up other people's mistakes and trying to get everything done by the deadline. However, I think it was a little harder in our case because it was a special census in a town that had more than doubled in size in three years. Most of the residences did not exist three years earlier so just canvasing all the new stuff was pretty daunting before the census even started! If it weren't for the high growth in the area I think it would have been much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stupidmorals Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 Good luck. I took the test, passed it, went through the whole long interview process, then they sent me a letter saying I didn't qualify because I don't own a car. After I spent four hours in the federal government building wasting my time when I'd specifically asked whether I would be disqualified by my lack of a car.Anyway, I think you'll be fine. It probably won't be the most in-depth training or whatever, but it's not like it's forever anyway, so just have fun and get a few good stories. So to answer your question, I have no advice. That sucks that they put you through all of that for nothing You would think they would be able to think beyond the next bureaucratic step, but I guess that's the federal government for you... Yeah, I'm not exactly worried about this, I'm just kinda uncertain because I have no real frame of reference for how this works. I would be far more comfortable if this were something where I had come up through the ranks, where I was more familiar with the process itself before I was supposed to be responsible for others. But like you said, it's temporary. And I can't imagine it will be something beyond my capabilities, I was just trying to get an idea for what this would be like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkHog Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Yeah, I'm not exactly worried about this, I'm just kinda uncertain because I have no real frame of reference for how this works. I would be far more comfortable if this were something where I had come up through the ranks, where I was more familiar with the process itself before I was supposed to be responsible for others. The way it works is there is ONE GUY who does this permanently. His job is to come in and train and oversee everyone else. They make it unbelievably easy. As a crew leader you will get printed maps of where your enumerators need to go. The maps are very accurate and easy to follow. The only difficulty comes if you live in a high growth area where there are lots of new residences. The forms are very easy to fill out. You simply ask basic questions and fill in the responses on the form. It could not be easier. 95% of people are very happy to oblige. Only a few are *******s. The entire process is made to be as easy as possible. Trust me, you will do fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stupidmorals Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 I worked as a clerk in a special census. It was fun I guess. I was the only capable person so I ended up doing everyone else's work. Good luck being a crew leader, that basically means you have to deal with all the problem cases (i.e. someone shows up at the door with a shotgun and tells your enumerator to get off their property so you have to go and get the form filled out - that only happened once though) and fix all your enumerators mistakes. Haha, that's okay, I don't mind guns and I can be pretty diplomatic (in person, anyway :paranoid: ). And thanks for the insight, that's the kinda thing I'm looking for; I know what they told me I would be doing, I want to know what I'll actually be doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkHog Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Haha, that's okay, I don't mind guns and I can be pretty diplomatic (in person, anyway :paranoid: ). And thanks for the insight, that's the kinda thing I'm looking for; I know what they told me I would be doing, I want to know what I'll actually be doing. Your job will be the same as any enumerator, you just have to make sure all the enumerators on your team stay on task. Basically, in my area at least, you would drive to a neighborhood and then start at the first house on the right and walk all the way up and down each street going door to door. You just ring the door bell and say you're from the census and want to ask some questions. If people aren't home you just leave a note where they will see it (we were NOT allowed to touch the mailbox) and they can then call into the main office and a clerk will take all the info. You will have a list of stickers with each registered address. On occasion you might have to add an address (new house since last census) so you have blank stickers. On occasion, a house will have been knocked down since then. Some houses are uninhabited and they will teach you how to deal with that too. Really, its quite easy but some of the enumerators who work for you will mess up sometimes and you will have to fix their mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stupidmorals Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 The way it works is there is ONE GUY who does this permanently. His job is to come in and train and oversee everyone else. They make it unbelievably easy. As a crew leader you will get printed maps of where your enumerators need to go. The maps are very accurate and easy to follow. The only difficulty comes if you live in a high growth area where there are lots of new residences. The forms are very easy to fill out. You simply ask basic questions and fill in the responses on the form. It could not be easier. 95% of people are very happy to oblige. Only a few are *******s. The entire process is made to be as easy as possible. Trust me, you will do fine. Thanks again, that confirms a lot of my suspicions. Like I said, I have a lot of assumptions about how this works and about how much this is all geared towards the lowest common denominator of person. But that was all just in my own head, completely baseless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkHog Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Thanks again, that confirms a lot of my suspicions. Like I said, I have a lot of assumptions about how this works and about how much this is all geared towards the lowest common denominator of person. But that was all just in my own head, completely baseless. Yeah, I think you are actually quite lucky to be doing this now. When I did it, the unemployment rate was 4% so the only people who were available to work for the census were people who were otherwise unemployable. We had about ten people go through the training (crew leaders and clerks) and they were the most able (people who actually had college degrees). We were all either early 20s, like you, or retirees. The enumerators, on the other hand, were all pretty hopeless. I think you are lucky now because with 10% unemployment your enumerators might not be dumb as dirt. Even then we got by quite well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renaissance Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 They are recruiting like crazy around here. $17 an hour for a part time temp job is pretty good, but I personally wouldn't want to deal with people who can't fill out their own form and send it in. Good luck and thanks to those of you who are up for it though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I did it for a few weeks when I was in high school. It wasn't worth it to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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