So whaddya think of trying to work for the census?

They hired too many people in my area, and 'laid off' pretty much all the part-time workers. So that's what they told me. But you know what happened first? The gal in charge had to fingerprint me again (this is like, the fourth time, apparently since I have excema spots on my fingers sometimes which leave white dots on the fingerprint card, I don't know why)!

So, a week before she told me I was laid off she had me meet her at a grocery store to re-print. I didn't care, but she wanted to HIDE me behine the back of the building (the cold, shady side) where I had to do the prints on the hood of her car, like she was ashamed of anyone seeing her fingerprint me.

This left a very bad taste in my mouth. EACH and every time they print us for the census, they do two whole separate sets of cards.

I thoroughly believe she knew she was going to dump me from enrollment before she took the fingerprints.

Anyone else have good / bad experiences being census workers? Just curious and I have been really feeling like I would feel better if I told this little short story. Thanks!

for 35 hours of work. :shrug:

they only took my prints once, I got (I think) three days of training, and spent most of the summer working as an enumerator. It was great. Easy. Drive to the addresses, interview the people, fill out their forms for them.

I had only three noteworthy incidents.

I walk up the grass covered drive to a decrepit looking trailer in the corner of a cornfield. As I approach, I notice clothes, trash, parts of furniture, are flying out one of the living room windows. I knock. The man who answered the door was holding a pitchfork. I ask for the person, he tells me if I find him to let him know. That guy skipped out on the rent, he's the landlord "cleaning" the place. With a pitchfork.

I walk up to a trailer (in a park). Knock. The man who answered the door was completely nude. I pretend he isn't and he was very helpful and polite. I conduct the interview and keep my focus on only two places, his face and my clipboard.

Last one was a little scary. Lots of No Trespassing signs. The man who answered the door was confrontational, he was not happy that "the government" was on "his land." He kept one hand behind his back the entire time. What he had in it I wasn't sure. He gave me 30 seconds to get off "his land." I left. My supervisor came back that afternoon with two sheriff's deputies and interviewed him. You will fill out your form. Even if you are an anti-government nut job.

Chellee
Ex-Census Enumerator

Twice as a data entry clerk.

Pretty relax assignment, a ton of data to get through, but fun to work on.

don't they have an office?