U.S. Census Bureau

Field Representative

May - July 2021 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

I liked talking to households and how they represent San Francisco.

What I wish was different

I wish my supervisor knew more about his job and was helpful. He did not know much on policies which costed my job, and he did not helpful. Everyone had different quality of training which affected how we did.

Advice

Keep pushing despite people closing the door on you.

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Field Enumerator

August - October 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

Flexibility in hours, you made your own availability and could change it up to the night before. You work at your own pace (a reasonable pace of course) and have the freedom to take breaks as needed.

What I wish was different

I wish they didn't send me to the same locations more than once.

Advice

Get ready to walk, drive, climb stairs, guess locations, see new places, get rejected, meet new people, and hear great stories.

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Enumerator

August - October 2020 • Newark, NJ

What I liked

The pay was great and I gave me the opportunity to meet thousands of strangers and sharpen my interpersonal communication skills.

What I wish was different

I have to admit that the timing was unfortunate. Normally, enumerators work during the month of April, but our operation was pushed back to late July due to the pandemic. Instead of pleasant spring weather, I was going door to door in Newark in 85-90 degree heat, representing the US Government during a rampant health crisis with nothing more than a mask and some hand sanitizer to protect me, and asking strangers for their personal information. I will say though, my confidence in my ability to persuade people through charm and persistence is way up.

Advice

If someone threatens your life, always take it seriously. No matter what they look like.

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U.S Census Enumerator

August - October 2020 • San Diego, CA

What I liked

I loved seeing different parts of San Diego and the people that live there. Not to mention the ability to serve my country.

What I wish was different

I wish it was a little cooler during August, but it was a pretty straight forward job, a lot of on the job learning.

Advice

Working for the census bureau was great, if you get a chance to work with them I would take it.

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Enumerator

August - September 2020 • Detroit, MI

What I liked

Great pay and additional bonuses, flexible work hours, and great experience for the resume.

What I wish was different

Very disorganized. Often had the same addresses show up two or three times in my system even after enumerating them. Also wish I didn’t have to enumerate my own apartment complex and irritate the people I have to live with.

Advice

Take advantage of the opportunity when it comes up every ten years! It can be exhausting work and some of the people you have to enumerate will definitely test you, but the pay and experience are worth it!

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Enumerator

July - October 2020 • Folsom, CA

What I liked

Made a difference. Highly independent work, trusted to make decisions on my own and get things done without a manager breathing down my back constantly. Met a lot of people briefly, and learned new things about my community.

What I wish was different

Training was too fast and it took a week or so of field work to feel ready. Definitely needed hands-on experience in training. Management didn't know what the software we were given couldn't do, and we were told to do the impossible a couple times. The heatwave was awful, and we didn't get good advice or training on how to handle it or other inclement weather.

Advice

Roll with it. You're going to get conflicting instructions, be told to do things you can't, and otherwise be at the mercy of somebody up top who doesn't know what's going on. Do what you can, according to your initial training, and your supervisor will have your back.

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Field Enumerator

June - September 2020 • Boulder, CO

What I liked

Flexible hours

What I wish was different

More hours

Advice

It was fun and a good way to interact with your community

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Field Enumerator

August - September 2020 • Naugatuck, CT

What I liked

I liked going door to door and speaking with people.

What I wish was different

The mislabeled and misnumbered addresses in the app.

Advice

Know how to speak with people and conduct interviews.

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Census Bureau Enumerator

July - September 2020 • Damariscotta, ME

What I liked

A lot of people thanked me for protecting our democracy. I'm glad to help public statistics be updated to provide geodemographic data. This was excellent training/refresher on persuading strangers to talk with me, even starting from a position of distrust for the government or frustration with my surprise presence at their door.

What I wish was different

There were not enough supports for ensuring safe practices despite COVID. We were continuously promised PPE that did not arrive, but at least, we were reimbursed for purchasing it ourselves. There were no mock interviews before we began. There was not explicit-enough explanation of how to report dangerous situations; although there was a way to mark addresses as dangerous, people continuously did not do so correctly. Ending the count early at the end of September means that there were probably a lot of people uncounted.

Advice

If you ask people if they are willing to wear a mask or come outside and social distance with you, they usually will be!

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Field Enumerator

August - October 2020 • Booneville, AR

What I liked

I liked getting to explore the community and help its people.

What I wish was different

The field office communicated poorly about opportunities after we finished work in our area.

Advice

Most people are friendly, but definitely trust your gut and prioritize your own safety.

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Field Enumerator

May - September 2020 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

I liked having the experience to interview other people and gather information that will benefit America as a whole. Funding for communities, especially low income ones for example is impacted by the information that I gather.

What I wish was different

I wish that the training process of this job had been smoother. It had taken some time to complete and they were a bit disorganized so I had started the job quite a bit late compared to others.