On Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010 Mandi Bethard of Lawrence was checking job information before taking a test for the Census at Lawrence Work Force Center, 2540 Iowa.

Chris Nelson likes people, doesn’t mind the weather and is out of a job. That combination had him making an hour’s drive from Franklin County to Lawrence to apply for work as a U.S. Census taker last week.

“Where I’m from is kind of rural,” Nelson said. “And there’s really more people than jobs out there right now.”

In an economy where jobs are hard to find, the U.S. Census Bureau has become the biggest hiring game in Lawrence.

“They are, by far, the most active (employer) we got in the area,” said Matt King, a local veterans employment representative with the Lawrence Workforce Center.

More than 70 people have applied for a census job through the Lawrence Workforce Center, 2540 Iowa. The federal agency started recruiting in Lawrence in December and has held five recruiting sessions so far.

Most people applying for jobs have been unemployed or looking for part-time work, King said.

“With the job market the way it is now, in fact, I’m surprised we are not over a couple hundred” applicants, he said.

A diverse group

As required by the U.S. Constitution, the census counts how many people are living in the country every decade. Those numbers are then used to determine how to distribute political power, as well as federal funding.

When it comes time to compile the once-in-a-decade tally and knock on the doors of people who fail to mail back their census questionnaires, a legion of workers is needed.

For Kansas, about 4,000 workers will be employed during the next few months.

In Douglas County alone, 50 census workers could be hired, U.S. Census Regional Director Dennis Johnson said. Of course, that number depends on how responsive Douglas County residents are in sending back their questionnaires.

Nationally, the 2010 Census is estimated to cost $14 billion. Johnson likes to think of the census as a natural economic stimulus package.

“We were going to do it anyway. It wasn’t something that was just created,” Johnson said. “But nevertheless, the timing for many people is perfect. And it is kind of a good feeling to know that we can help people get through a very rough time period.”

So far, Johnson has seen applicants who range from doctors and lawyers to people who haven’t graduated from high school. Others are out-of-work actors and writers.

“The census itself is universal; everyone is counted. And, I would like to think that everyone has an opportunity to help with the process,” Johnson said.

The dozen applicants who filed into a testing room at the Lawrence Workforce Center one afternoon last week were a diverse group.

“We got everyone from all walks of life, all ages, all ethnicities that have applied,” King said.

Among them was Sunshine Condren, who is hearing-impaired. Her husband, Choach Roubideaux, came along to interrupt through sign language.

Through her husband, Condren said the job seemed interesting and different.

“There are a lot of people who can’t speak to deaf people. So that is why she is applying for the job, to be able to speak to other hearing-impaired people,” Roubideaux said.

Seeking work

The only requirement for a census taker is to be a U.S. citizen. Interested workers have to take a 28-question test on clerical, math, map and reading skills. A background check is also required.

In Douglas County, the job pays about $13 an hour. The amount is more for workers in Kansas City and less for those in more rural parts of the state.

The work, which would begin in the spring, could last from six weeks to several months. The preferable candidate would work 40 hours a week, mostly on nights and weekends when people are home and ready to answer the door.

“I needed something flexible. And I don’t mind working outdoors in the cold knocking on doors,” said Mandi Bethard, a 25-year-old student at Johnson County Community College.

The job is ideal for students, “people persons” and those who have sales experience, Johnson said.

In the western part of the state, where unemployment remains low, it is still hard to find workers.

That’s not true for northeast Kansas, where the U.S. Census is having to advertise less than anticipated to find workers. And, those who are applying have more work experience and higher levels of education than in previous decades.

“People are really out there seeking us,” Johnson said.