I work at Syracuse University for a political science professor, in the Maxwell Building, or Egger's Hall, or Cotter Opinion Research, and sometimes even Wilson Opinion Research, depending on the type of survey being done. I basically, after eating, grab a list of people to call, and a handful of surveys, and start calling away. Lately it's only been political polls, so I have to ask for a specific, registered voter in the house. If they agree to take it, usually by convincing them a 10 minute survey won't take more than 3, I just go through the survey in front of me, and mark down their answers, then giving it to another guy to enter the data. This is not a job for the fragile of will. I get a lot of hang-ups, denials, and an occasional agitated yelling. On a few occasions, I've done research for the professor, too, either for a book he's doing, or for his class. I try to stay in the main reception area, since that's where you have a lot of fun, making fun of people we've called, and my buddy brings in his ipod for everyone to listen to. The only drawback is that there is no regularity to it. There could be work every week for months, or nothing for just as much time. Also, the way the professor makes the schedule is that he sends an email to every one with the days the survey is being done, and the people just reply with their preferred days, just hoping for more days.
