The Census Bureau seeks to recruit 10 workers from Cordova to survey residents on their income levels. The bureau has previously had difficulty recruiting workers in regional Alaska. Photo courtesy National Public Domain Archive/Wikimedia Commons
The Census Bureau is seeking interviewers to gather regional data around Cordova. Unlike the national US Census, conducted once per decade, regional census surveys continuously gather information on housing, income, crime and other indicators of social health.
“We like to think of ourselves as a statistical indicator, so that policymakers know if rent and unemployment are high,” said Jameson Mariano, assistant recruiter for the Census Bureau.
The bureau has had difficulty recruiting in regional Alaska, Mariano said. However, the bureau’s Los Angeles regional office, which covers all of Alaska, is now advertising 10 new positions for Cordova residents. These positions would entail working 15-30 hours per week, interviewing residents on their income levels.
“It’s not a very difficult job, to be honest,” Mariano said. “A majority of our employees that take the field representative jobs are 70 or 80-year-olds. We have a lot of retirees, a lot of seniors who enjoy the work.”
Although the positions are temporary, lasting only as long as the survey does, it’s common for reliable census workers to be picked up for future surveys, Mariano said.
