A census taker is a government employee who takes part in a census, which counts everyone in the population. Census data is used for a variety of purposes, from determining how many representatives a given state or province can elect to government to collecting data for demographic statistics. Census takers are usually hired on a temporary basis for the purpose of the census.
A census taker’s job begins long before the official Census Day. Census takers walk through their neighborhoods on foot, noting every housing unit they come across. The census taker notes if a unit has not been documented or recorded the Census so that it can be added to the rolls. This information is used to ensure that every household receives a census questionnaire during mailings.
The census generates a list of people who have not yet responded as responses come in. Census takers set out on foot once more to locate and collect responses from those households. The census taker is required to collect data from nonrespondent households in any way possible. Interviewing neighbors, returning to the housing unit multiple times, attempting to contact landlords, and other similar steps are all part of this process.
Census takers are required law to keep the information they collect private, and they are not permitted to ask questions not included on the census questionnaire. They must keep any information gathered during the census confidential even if they no longer work for the government. Citizens are required to participate in the census, but they must be assured that their personal information will be kept private.
A person who wishes to work as a census taker must submit an application to the Census Bureau. Typically, census agencies will post job openings prior to a scheduled census. Applicants must pass an exam and may be required to show that they have dependable vehicles that allow them to access all areas of their communities. Many people who do not respond to the census do so because questionnaires are provided in the wrong language, they do not understand the purpose of the census, or they are afraid that responding will result in deportation, in the case of undocumented immigrants. People with multilingual skills may be especially sought after, especially in communities with a large immigrant population, because many people who do not respond to the census do so because questionnaires are provided in the wrong language, they do not understand the purpose of the census, or they are afraid A multilingual census taker can interact with immigrants and address their concerns about the census.