Literal question
Only for individuals 12 years of age and older
[Applies to questions 17 - 22]
Only for those who "worked" or "did not work"
[Applies to questions 18-20]
18. Principal occupation
Specify the principal occupation held during the week of May 7th - 12th.
If the status was "did not work," write the last occupation held.
Do not forget to write the answer according to the instructions on page 47 of the Enumerator's Manual.
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Interviewer instructions
24.- Question No. 18.- Principal occupation
Ask this question only to persons in the classifications "Worked" or "Did not Work".
Clearly write in this space the nature of the occupation that the person did during the week of May 7 to 12.
If the occupation cannot be written down with one defined name, describe the nature of the job, for example: puts lining on steering wheels of vehicles.
When a person has had more than one occupation in this period, ask and write down that which is considered the principal.
Avoid the use of generic terms such as: worker, aid, owner, day laborer, etc., which say nothing about nature or class of work that a person did during the period of reference.
When it concerns not worked, ask the last occupation they had, it does not matter how long ago it was.
[Below the text is a filled out form.]
Keep in mind that here what you should write down is the occupation and not profession. Of course, it can happen, and it is very frequent, that both (occupation and profession) coincide; but also it can happen that they do not; for example: it is common that doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc. work in the same profession; nevertheless also it can be that a doctor is the administrator of a hospital, or an engineer the manager of a company. It is evident that in the last two examples, the occupation of the doctor is administrator and that of the engineer is manager.
[p. 48]
Examples of correct and incorrect occupations:
[Below are two columns, one marked Incorrect and one marked Correct. In this translation we list them in a single column.]
Incorrect
Professor
Correct
Professor of Primary School
Professor of Secondary School
Professor of Dance, Song, etc.
Incorrect
Mechanic
Correct
Automobile Mechanic
Thresher Mechanic
Aviation Mechanic
Incorrect
Construction Worker
Correct
Mason
Carpenter
Carpenter's Helper
Incorrect
Worker
Correct
Agricultural Worker
Quarry Worker
Poultry Farm Worker
