Unemployed? If you’re looking for something to get you out of the house, the Census is hiring and apparently they’re really enjoying the sudden influx of lawyers and other professionals to choose from, says the Washington Post.

The WaPo says:

The Census Bureau expects to hire at least 700,000 people throughout the spring and summer for part-time jobs, paying $10 to $25 an hour, mostly to knock on the doors of people who don’t send in forms that will arrive in mailboxes this month. Many of the expected 3 million to 4 million applicants will be like Williams: highly educated and in the prime of their working life but sidelined by a recession that has driven the unemployment rate to almost 10 percent.

So, what are they looking for? WaPo says you must be 18 and submit to an FBI background check that includes fingerprinting. it’s also helpful if you are actually from a neighborhood where the Census needs people for canvassing. They figure that people are more likely to open the door to a familiar face.

Language skills will also be important.

Does this sound like something you’d like to do?

Laid-off professionals line up for part-time census jobs [WaPo]
[Census.gov]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.