Keeping tabs on all U.S. residents is a tricky job that census workers undertake every 10 years, and it's time to start counting.
The U.S. Census Bureau is gearing up for Census 2010 and one of the first orders of business is hiring census workers.
There are hundreds of positions available in Tucson, said Gilbert Mejias, a local census office manager in Tucson.
Partnership specialists are working with businesses and city government to get the word out about these jobs. The biggest contributor for Tucson is the Pima Association of Governments, Mejias said. Recruiting assistants are also signing people up for job testing throughout the city.
"The primary source is to have assistants out there doing the recruiting," Mejias said.
The jobs being offered are part-time, temporary positions. The most common are census takers and office clerks. The average worker will hold their position through the end of June 2010, Mejias said.
The wages for these jobs are competitive, Mejias said. The pay is above minimum wage, which is $7.25 an hour, according to the Industrial Commission of Arizona. A census taker makes $13.75 an hour and office and questionnaire assistance clerks typically make $10.50 an hour, Mejias said. Those hired can expect to work anywhere from 15 to 20 hours a week, depending on the workload, he said.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a valid Social Security number or work permit and pass a background check.
Though citizenship is preferred, it is not always necessary for these positions. There are instances where hiring a non-citizen could help with possible language barriers when working with hard-to-count areas of town, Mejias said.
Those interested must first call a local recruitment center, the 2010 Census Jobs Line or go online to download an application. Applicants must then schedule an aptitude test at a testing site. Recruiters will determine which site is closest to the applicants' neighborhoods and reserve them a spot.
There are currently three testing sites in South Tucson, plus nearby facilities in adjacent areas, said Caryn Walker, assistant manager of recruiting.
Upon reaching the site, an application must be filled out, and then the test will be given. The test measures skills and knowledge to determine which job will be offered.
The entire process can take up to two hours, Walker said.
The application deadline is the end of April, when the recruitment process ends. At that point, the bureau should not have a need for any additional resources, Mejias said.
"Just because the recruitment process terminates at that point and you have not gotten a call doesn't mean that you're not going to get a call," Mejias said. "It's still a possibility since the actual operation goes on through June."
There are numerous testing sites for jobs throughout Tucson and the number will increase weekly, Walker said.
Census employees are emphasizing the importance of taking advantage of these opportunities.
"There's just so much that has hurt this economy, the census is stepping in. They're offering a very competitive wage for a temporary position so you can earn a little extra cash," Mejias said.
Application Requirements:
- Call ahead to schedule a test location and time.
- Must be 18 years or older.
- Must have a valid Social Security number or work permit.
- All applicants must pass a background check.
- All applicants must pass the 30-minute aptitude test.
Fast Facts:
- The phone number to contact the Jobs Line is 1-866-861-2010
- To find out more about jobs, www.2010censusjobs.gov.
- To download an application visit http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/application-material/index.php
- To contact the local recruiting line call 520-918-1800
