Monday, January 25, 2010

Need a job? Try the Census Bureau--Chicago Tribune article

Need a job? Try the Census Bureau

(excertps from today's Chicago Tribune http://www.chicagotribune.com/ story by --Cynthia Dizikes, dizikes@tribune.com
January 25, 2010 11:38 AM


In the midst of rising unemployment, at least one employer is preparing for a hiring binge: the U.S. Census Bureau.

The agency is expecting to hire roughly 60,000 people in Illinois--about 20,000 in Chicago-- this year to help assist with the 2010 census, which will be used to allocate more than $400 billion in federal funding, apportion congressional and state districts, and determine locations for new hospitals, schools and businesses.

Census officials in Illinois are hoping to attract at least 100,000 applicants statewide, although the exact number of positions will not be known until about March when questionnaires are mailed back.

The part-time and full-time jobs are mainly to help collect questionnaires that have not been filled out. Workers are usually sent into their neighborhoods to help people complete the census form, answer any questions,and conduct brief personal interviews.
Jobs range from $14.25 to $18.25 an hour. Applicants must speak English, but bilingual skills are preferred in certain areas, according to census officials. Convicted felons are not eligible.

To apply, individuals need to call 866-861-2010 and ask where the nearest testing center is located. They must then schedule an appointment to take a test that measures skills such as filing, directions, spelling, and math. Applicants are eventually evaluated on a range of criteria including test scores, language skills, schedule flexibility, and where they live. There are no education requirements to apply.

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