BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Dozens made it out to the Career Center today in hopes to land one of 400 job openings for the upcoming months.

The Census Bureau said they will hire 400 people from the greater Bakersfield area during the next few months.

Those hired, will conduct the 2010 census count going home to home counting the number of people in each residence.

Area recruiting manager said it’s important to count every person in the county.

Prior experience is not required.

They do ask for applicants to be 18 years of age or older, with a valid social security number.

The Bureau has released this statement regarding the upcoming census.

"The best temporary part-time job to come along in 10 years!

To conduct the 2010 Census, the U.S. Census Bureau will hire hundreds of thousands of census takers over the next two years. If that seems like a lot, consider that those census takers will count millions of people spread out over more than 2.4 billion acres!

The Census Bureau is currently recruiting for the Address Listing operation. This is the process by which the addresses in the census records are updated.

New addresses are added and ones that no longer exist are deleted, resulting in a complete list of addresses to which census forms will be mailed in early 2010.

The reasons that people apply for these jobs are as varied as our population. First, census jobs pay well. Surveys have found that the pay is consistently the top reason for taking a census job. The Census Bureau makes sure that its workers are paid well.

They examine current wages across the nation, and set pay rates on a county-by-county basis, ensuring that census jobs are among the best paying part-time positions.

Then there's the flexibility. As a census taker working during the Address Listing operation, you'll work 20 to 40 hours per week for several weeks, largely on a schedule of your choosing.

The work must be done during daylight hours, and there are minimum amounts of work that you must complete.

Most people find it very manageable, and the more you accomplish, the more work you'll become eligible for. Adding to the flexibility is the fact that you'll be working near home.

Even if the area you cover extends a bit further from your neighborhood, the Census Bureau will cover authorized work expenses, such as mileage on your automobile.

If you're ready to apply, the Census is primarily looking for US citizens, 18 years of age or older, with a valid Social Security number.

In some cases, citizenship may be waived, such as when bilingual ability is required and no US citizens are available. Also, you will have to pass a background check and complete a written test of basic skills, such as reading, working with numbers, and interpreting information.

Then you're all set.

The decennial (every 10 years) census is an important source of information. Census data are used to determine representation in government and to help direct funding for projects such as roads and other community needs. So, it's important to make sure that you and your community are accurately accounted for.

The Census Bureau is counting on people just like you to help get the job done.

To contact the Census Bureau, call 1-866-861-2010 or visit them on at www.2010censusjobs.gov.