Past or present?

Got cornered by a "recruiter" I guess you'd call it while shopping. They're looking for workers. $17.50 an hour plus 58¢ a mile. 4-6 weeks worth of work, set your own hours as long as you complete the "assignment".

Sounds somewhat interesting, but I know a lot of folks take a dim view of the census in general and people bugging them at home in particular. Plus I'm not a big fan of poking my nose in other people's business.

Any input/experiences appreciated.

If you don't need the money then don't open yourself for the abuse if I might have a say .
I over the years have had churches [JW] meat trucks vac salesmen roofers lawn people etc and have became harden at this stuff.
My feeling is most people just want to be left alone at home.

quote:

Originally posted by 45 Cal:
If you don't need the money then don't open yourself for the abuse if I might have a say .
I over the years have had churches [JW] meat trucks vac salesmen roofers lawn people etc and have became harden at this stuff.
My feeling is most people just want to be left alone at home.

Yup, pretty much my read on it too. I could certainly find something to spend the money on, but I don't NEED it.

My wife did it once when we lived in the northern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. She actually enjoyed it, and made decent money for a part time gig. I/she would not do it in metro Detroit for obvious reasons.

I knew a guy who worked as a census taker back in the 1980s. He told me he “extrapolated” the info for about half of his assigned area. I think he meant he fabricated the data.

If you go for it, try to remember you’re not from the FBI.
We filled out the census form and mailed it back to them.
They must have noticed two full sized rooms attached to our garage, but couldn’t see that they were filled with our valuable junk. So they sent out a brilliant old interrogator broad to verify that only two people lived here. She asked “Are you sure only two people live here, how many live out there in those rooms?”
That’s when I told her to scat and she said something about me not being a nice man.

I expect she’ll be back next year.

quote:

Originally posted by Sportshooter:
So they sent out a brilliant old interrogator broad to verify that only two people lived here. She asked “Are you sure only two people live here, how many live out there in those rooms?”

I'm expecting something like that, too. We have a very big house and want to downsize. If I get the same nosey question I'll tell them they can either buy my house or STFU and go away.

I worked for the census for the 2010 count.

I did it for the money as I was not getting a lot of consulting gigs at the time.

I met some people who are still good friends today. However, it was a government job with government nitwits galore. Everything will depend on the score you get on the hiring exam.

I work for the Census Bureau right now.
I resigned from the Medical Examiners Office to accept the position.

It was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. I would also have to rank this position in the top five of all the assignments I have had.

With that being said, I have worked with my share of fools while in the military, working in law enforcement and the government and this gig is no exception.

But there is very little BS from my office and supervisor and I am treated like a rock star.

I did it in 2000. I had a recently minted degree in economics and was working at a small credit union doing car loans. I did it nights and weekends then it was all self reported time and mileage back then it paid $15 an hour plus mileage which was more than I was making at the CU. Ripe for abuse. Having “temporary summer work for Bureau or Labor Statistics” on my resume I’m sure got me in the door for my next job. Lol.

The meeting place was a local 24 hour burger joint. I’d stop by, show my census badge and they’d hand me a stack of paper with addresses that needed to be knocked on. These were people who had never returned the census forms, usually the long form. LOTS Of being cussed out and doors slammed in my face. Most folks said I’m not answering any of those questions except there’s 4 ( or whatever number) people living here. That’s all you need to know. Some people would tell me male adult and female adult and sex of kids or whatever the status was. I was quietly pleased to know that many people don’t want the .gov collecting all that data

A census taker once tried to test me.

I worked for the 2020 Census in August and September. I did address verification. I enjoyed it. I'm hoping to get another offer after the first of the year.

My Wife did it last time they took it. She enjoyed it. Was a Supervisor and did admit she had a lot of dummies working for her.

I'm thinking of doing it this go around. Extra cash would be nice.

My brother is doing it now as a supervisor. He is enjoying the gig although the work is sporadic. Work for 4-6 weeks for a "project", then wait for them to call again for the next phase. Good thing he has another thing he does.

I just filled out the application on a whim. Interested but waiting to actually speak to a person to see what's really involved. In filling out the application it automatically shifted me to a Supervisor Position, don't know why, so filled out the Supervisor questions. Waiting with fingers crossed..or maybe not

I was a Census Enumerator in the past.

It was not a pleasant experience. The region I was assigned (rural NC) had just been canvassed and all questionnaires were complete. Unfortunately, the enumerator’s car was in a wreck and caught on fire. All of the completed questionnaires were burned.
I was assigned to go back in and redo all of the interviews. It was open farmland area with lots of area to cover/driving and the original enumerator had evidently annoyed many of the people he interviewed, (who were already distrustful of the government). This didn't work out well for me.
In my case the Census supervisors who were “in charge” of that area were clueless and the Census Bureau seemed to be the ultimate bureaucracy. ...additionally my pay always seemed to be late.
The final straw was having a loaded shotgun pointed at me by an irate farmer who rightly pointed out that he had just done the @#$@#$# interview and I was told to “git off my land afore I sic the dogs on yer”...
But good luck in any case- perhaps it's different now.

If the time frame is right, you could do it on your motorcycle! It'd be a fantastic ride in your part of the world.

Plus, there are so few people up there that you could just write in "6 (that I could find)" on the line, and the census folks would probably be happy.