Comments | eusashead: Yikes.

eusashead

Yikes.

Mar 07, 2009 21:02

After a brief phone interview, I've accepted a 2-month job as a census enumerator. There's a week of training at the end of this month, but I don't know yet when the job starts. I should follow William's advice and read all about the census online so I will be The One Who Knows Everything. (But not in an obnoxious way ( Read more... )

Comments 5

somewherebean March 8 2009, 05:32:00 UTC

Congratulations! What does an enumerator do?

And on a me-related note, sounds like I'd better stick to my plan to get you my dissertation during spring break. You'll be busy enumerating after that!

eusashead March 8 2009, 05:58:01 UTC

I'm not sure what an enumerator does. I'm not actually even 100% sure that that's what I'm going to be, but I *thought* that's what the woman who called me said. What I've gathered from the Census website is that the people who work April-June are going to be updating address lists, and that "enumeration" will be done next year. The job duties she discussed with me included asking personal questions, going up and down stairs, having reliable transportation, and possibly going into sketchy neighborhoods. I suppose now that I've been half a block from a drive-by shooting as it happened I'm ready for everything except the personal questions.

I am looking forward to seeing your dissertation!

dr_monkeycat March 8 2009, 06:25:26 UTC

Being an enumerator means that, in an argument, you get to point at yourself and say "I'm the one that counts around here."

I think it also means you get to be on top (no, wait, that's numerator).

somewherebean March 8 2009, 06:34:32 UTC

I like the first interpretation. And if you make a slight sideways move, you could become a numenator and rule everything. Or you could become a numismatician and lord it over everyone else when the paper money becomes worthless.

Knowing that yours will be the next set of eyes to see my dissertation is helping me write.

dibsditch March 9 2009, 15:34:06 UTC

i got this job too, though I'm wanting not to do it for scheduling conflict related reasons. my training is the exact same time as yours. I wonder if they will be trying to do it simultaneously nationwide?

its counting people in houses and counting houses, if i'm not mistaken and if i have the same job.