Anyone here ever work as a city census taker?

[Daradon]

Hey,

I was thinking of signing up to be a census taker for April and I was just wondering if anyone here had done it before and how much they pay. They had no info for that on their application and no phone number, and I really don't want to go all the way down to the airport to their office just to find out.

[Daradon]

A bit of a search and I was able to find my answer. It appears to be paid on a dollar an house basis. I'll leave this up here instead of deleting, just in case anyone else wants to know.

[calgarygeologist]

I read some stuff on reddit and some blogs from people who have done it in the past. Sounds like the pay is about $600 to $800. It also sounds like it is pretty crappy work and not really worth it. The Federal government is also accepting applications for census takers for this summer. That sounds like a much better opportunity and it pays about $20 an hour.

[Daradon]

I don't mind the exercise and the fresh air. Have worked for charity in canvassing in the past and also for the federal election.

But yeah, it may not be worth the time at those rates. The info I found was 400-600 dollars for 400-600 houses. Especially if I get sent way to the other side of the city or something.

[topfiverecords]

And good luck getting anyone to put down their cheetos, pull up their sweatpants and answer the door.

[malcolmk14]

I worked as an enumerator for Elections Alberta a few years ago. I've always been really into the electoral process and had a lot of fun working other positions for them on Election day.

After a day of doing it, I started to get really tired of the way I was being treated at people's doors. Some people accused me of lying about what I was doing, even though there had been signs up in the neighbourhood for a week letting people know we were coming around, and I had identification around my neck.

I've never been a census taker but I imagine the treatment would be similar.

[REDVAN]

I've signed up to work both the city census, and the federal census.

Can't say no to government money when unemployed!

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

And good luck getting anyone to put down their cheetos, pull up their sweatpants and answer the door.

Yeah, but occasionally you get someone who offers to pull down their sweatpants and put up their cheeto and you can have one hell of a Saturday afternoon.

Don't knock it until... you know how it goes.

[Northendzone]

based on several adult films that I have seen it seems you have a hih chance of "getting some" while working in a door to door job as many ladies will answer the door in less clothes than you would think.

just for fun though pair up with the direct energy sales guys and then work a neighborhood

[rohara66]

Nobody will answer their door... recently had to solicit my street for signatures and it took me a solid 10 days (15-60 minutes of door to door every night) to get 60 houses to answer their door or respond to my notices. It sucks.

[ken0042]

Maybe the city should look at doing it online. Seeing as they currently pay $1 per household to the census taker, use that money for a lottery where 100 people will get their property tax paid for free for that year. (Assuming 300,000 households and an average tax bill of $3000 per year.)

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

based on several adult films that I have seen it seems you have a hih chance of "getting some" while working in a door to door job as many ladies will answer the door in less clothes than you would think.

just for fun though pair up with the direct energy sales guys and then work a neighborhood

Its weird, but I worked as a pizza delivery guy, have gone door to door for various political things and spent like 2 hours fixing my neighbours dishwasher once and yet...still a virgin.

[Northendzone]

^ you must have been doing it all wrong

[CliffFletcher]

I worked doing the long-form census many years ago. The one that takes about 75 minutes to fill out. I had a list of 30 specific households, which were selected for statistical purposes, that I needed to complete the 20 page census document with me.

It sucked. I mean really, really sucked.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

based on several adult films that I have seen it seems you have a hih chance of "getting some" while working in a door to door job as many ladies will answer the door in less clothes than you would think.

just for fun though pair up with the direct energy sales guys and then work a neighborhood

Course it's nothing like that, but I have heard a story or two. (Most I've considered lies, but a few I had no reason to disbelieve.) Probably depends a lot on what your pitching too. Direct Energy, probably just make people mad, pizza, or charity, maybe not so bad.

I actually did have one encounter like that doing canvassing once. Though it was a pretty easy 'no thank you' from me, haha. We'll just say, not my type, to be polite. The offer was there though...

Anyway, so I'll look more into the federal one, the civic one kinda seems like a waste of time. Doesn't look like you get paid for the training portion either, of which there is more than you'd think. I mean, it's probably all common sense, but you still gotta put in the time. :/

I did get paid for the training when I worked the federal election, so maybe the federal census will be like that too.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Maybe the city should look at doing it online. Seeing as they currently pay $1 per household to the census taker, use that money for a lottery where 100 people will get their property tax paid for free for that year. (Assuming 300,000 households and an average tax bill of $3000 per year.)

The City does do it online. I believe last year was the first year.

The only annoying thing was that they sent out an access code a couple weeks before it was open, and you had to enter the code before you could fill out the online form. If you threw out the notice without realizing you needed that code, you couldn't complete it.

After filling it out online, I didn't have anyone come knocking on my door, so they must have done a good job of letting the census takers know who had completed theirs already.

[vanisleflamesfan]

I did it a few times about 8-10 years ago. It was awful. I think I made about $700 each time. The vast majority will not answer the door at all. Those who do either challenge your credentials, or else speak very, very limited English. The majority of your time is spent leaving call-back notices. And you will have to go back to every house and leave 4 or 5 call back notices before they will actually call you back. At the end of the day, you will consider yourself a huge success if you record answers for 50% of your assigned houses.

It is NOT worth it.

Like I said, it has been about 10 years since I did it but I bet I could still recite the entire questionnaire word-for-word. Horrible.

[jayswin]

Wait, I was thinking $1 per house that you physically go to. Is it seriously only $1 per house even if you have to go back four times, and nothing if nobody every answers? That's absolutely ludicrous, who in their right mind would do that?

You'd be getting the equivalent of like fifty cense an hour.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Wait, I was thinking $1 per house that you physically go to. Is it seriously only $1 per house even if you have to go back four times, and nothing if nobody every answers? That's absolutely ludicrous, who in their right mind would do that?

You'd be getting the equivalent of like fifty cense an hour.

This is on the City's Census FAQ page:

How much do Census Takers get paid?

Census Takers are paid based on the questions asked and information collected. The amount that a Census Taker can make will vary depending on the number of homes and questions they collect answers from and how many questions are in the Census that year.

So, yeah it definitely looks like they only pay you for the houses where you got answers. It's really not the job to apply for if you're hoping to make some decent money.

[Daradon]

Well, wasn't looking for decent/good money obviously, just for a little extra cash, can be done in the spare time and get some exercise.

But yeah, seems like a waste of time.