Current Student FAQ

If you are an incoming student, your first job will be assigned to you by the LifeWorks Program based on your previous work experiences, career interests/goals, workplace preferences and campus needs. All incoming students are asked to complete an online assessment (berry.PathwayU.com) and work interest form that allows you to select job preferences and describe your work experience. Berry then matches this information with available “good fit” LifeWorks positions on campus to determine your first job.

Following your first semester of work, you become a “LifeWorks free agent,” and you are free to explore Berry’s large and diverse student work program. In fall 2020, you will be able to find other jobs and explore additional job openings using Handshake, Berry’s new career management/job and internship search system.

Freshmen are allowed to work up to 10 hours per week to ensure they are able to gain valuable professional experience as they acclimate to college life and the academic rigor of Berry College.

Upperclassmen students can work up to 12 hours per week, with the exception of Gate Scholars who are required to work 16. During breaks and in the summer, students can work up to 40 hours per week.

Yes. Before you can legally begin working on-campus, Berry College must first verify your eligibility to work in the United States. You cannot begin working until the LifeWorks Office has verified your eligibility via the I-9 form. The LifeWorks Office will provide the I-9 form to students, but you will also need to bring a few documents with you when you come to campus in the fall.

To complete the I-9 form, you must have the documents listed in one of the choices below or other appropriate documents listed on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website*.

1. Current driver’s license or military ID card AND original Social Security card
2. Current driver’s license or military ID card AND original/certified birth certificate
3. Current, unexpired passport**
4. Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551)
5. Employment Authorization Document containing a photo (Form I-776)

The I-9 form only needs to be completed once before you begin your first LifeWorks job. Your confirmed eligibility continues for subsequent on-campus Berry LifeWorks jobs.

*Please note – federal regulations prevent us from accepting copies of these documents. We must see the originals, so please remember to bring these document(s) with you to campus.

**If you choose to bring a passport instead of a Social Security Card, please ensure you know your social security number. Please contact the LifeWorks Office at lifeworks@berry.edu or (706) 236-2244 if you have any questions.

At Berry College, we intentionally provide students with job opportunities in every office, department and facility on campus. In fact, every one of Berry’s 180 departments employs students, and the LifeWorks office currently maintains more than 1,000 job descriptions!

For example: Berry students perform research, plan events and activities, fix computers, care for animals (cattle, sheep, horses, etc.), supervise the residence halls, operate the outdoor ropes course, maintain the campus grounds and facilities, cook/serve food and do just about everything else (except teach classes).

To learn more about and to explore available work positions on-campus, visit the Handshake, the online job posting website or stop by the LifeWorks Office on the 3rd floor of the Krannert building. Since some LifeWorks jobs require managerial and supervisory skills, you will want to plan ahead if you want to secure one of these advanced work positions.

No, you don’t have to work because our student employment program is optional and voluntary. However, we promise to provide all students with up to eight semesters of paid personal and professional development opportunities and experiences. So, while students don’t have to work, the vast majority (over 90%) do every year. Even if only a few hours a week, working on campus will help you learn transferable skills, and even one extra year of professional experience will give you (and your resume) a competitive advantage when you apply for jobs and graduate schools in the future.

Working on campus also helps students feel a sense of belonging and a sense of ownership of campus, helps build deeper relationships with peers and mentors, and helps students start exploring and experimenting with some of their professional interests. Therefore, we strongly encourage all students to work at least a few hours a week so they benefit from all the additional benefits it provides.

Yes. Summer at Berry is a busy time, and there are many work opportunities. Although fewer classes are in session, the campus must still operate. In a typical summer, Admissions is recruiting, Student Affairs is planning and hosting new student orientation, the grass needs cutting, the animals must be fed, food must be served, computers and networks must be maintained, and the mail must be delivered.

In addition to their regular hourly wage during the summer, students who work full-time or have a full-time equivalent of work, plus class hours, receive free summer housing! As you can see, there are some perks to working at Berry over the summer.

Yes. Many students do have more than one job. However, we encourage you to have one primary job at a time, so you can take advantage of gaining in-depth professional experience and then, if needed, take on a supplemental job to either explore additional interests ... or to make a little more money.

BUT, remember, the work hours for all jobs must total less than your limit: Freshmen are allowed to work up to 10 hours per week. Upperclassmen students can work up to 12 hours per week, with the exception of Gate Scholars who work 16. During breaks and the summer, students can work up to 40 hours per week.

The short answer is “yes.” We do have a variety of jobs that directly connect to academic majors. For example:

• Education Majors: Child Development Center, Berry College Elementary and Middle School, and local partners like South Rome Early Learning Center
• Nursing/Pre-Health Majors: Ladd Center, local partners like Harbin Clinic, Redmond Regional Medical Center and Floyd Medical Center
• Business Majors: Student Enterprises, variety of local Community & Industrial partners
• Exercise Science Majors: Cage, Sports Medicine, BOLD and local physical therapy partners
• Psychology Majors: Research Assistant, Peer Educators and Resident Assistant
• Communication Majors: Student Media (Viking Fusion, Campus Carrier, etc.), Berry’s PR Office, social media management for department/student club
• Animal Science Majors: Dairy barn, Beef unit, Equine Center, Blue Hen student enterprise, Sheep unit and Agri Education tours 

While some LifeWorks jobs directly correlate with specific majors, please know that you will learn transferable professional skills in each and every LifeWorks job on-campus! So, the long answer to this question is also “yes” because all jobs can be related to your major. Whether communication, teamwork, leadership or creative problem-solving, these are the kinds of skills that all employers seek in new hires. They are also the skills Berry students can develop inside and outside the classroom, especially in their student work positions.

No. Though it’s great for your career to build skills within your major, you are free to work any job on campus and explore your many interests.

Remember, as you pursue job opportunities after college, no one gets hired (or not hired) just because of their academic major. More often, young professionals are hired because of the transferrable skills and experiences they can show employers. So, we work hard to help students trust us when we say that, most of the time, your major does not directly equal your career. With this in mind, we encourage all students to think about their particular personal and professional life goals and how student work can help them reach these goals.

It depends. Every LifeWorks job offers students opportunities to develop valuable transferable professional skills. For example, a Financial Aid Assistant will be expected to explain a financial aid package to a student, and an Oak Hill Docent will be expected to lead a tour. However, the LifeWorks program is also designed to teach the general work skills listed below. These skills were listed as desirable skills from a recent survey of employers.

General Work Skills:

• Taking Initiative – Taking appropriate actions without asking for instructions.
• Dependability – Being punctual, reliable and trustworthy.
• Accountability – Accepting responsibility for actions.
• Teamwork – Cooperating with others to achieve a goal.
• Problem-solving – Identifying effective solutions to problems.
• Quality Service – Courteously and efficiently responding to customer requests.

Starting in fall 2020, you can view and apply for open positions on Handshake, Berry’s new career management system/job and internship board. Handshake will become your one-stop shop for learning about and applying to all kinds of jobs (on-campus, off-campus, Community & Industry, or C&I, jobs) and internships (academic and non-academic)! If you haven’t activated your Handshake account yet, you can do that here.

We ask that you stay in your assigned job for at least the first semester. After that you can either remain in the position or consider other jobs. After your first semester, you become a ”free agent,” which means you are free to explore Berry’s large and diverse student work program and consider other jobs that will help you explore your professional purpose, interests and options.

In fall 2020, you will be able to find other jobs, explore additional job openings and apply to open positions using Handshake, Berry’s new job/internship board online system.

Yes. After your first year, you are eligible to apply for off-campus Lifeworks jobs. In addition to our on-campus jobs, we also partner with many off-campus employers to provide additional professional opportunities through our Community & Industry (C&I) Program. We are fortunate to have many great C&I partners in the Rome/Floyd Community. From non-profits and vet clinics to hospitals and businesses, these partners provide students real-world opportunities to gain additional skills and professional experience in their specific areas of interest.

C & I jobs are also posted on Handshake, or you can learn more about these opportunities by visiting the LifeWorks Program Office on the 3rd floor of the Krannert building.

Every one of Berry’s 180 departments employs students, and the LifeWorks office currently maintains more than 1,000 job descriptions! There are student jobs in every office, department and facility on campus.

For example, Berry students perform research, plan events and activities, fix computers, care for cattle and horses, supervise the residence halls, operate the outdoor ropes course, maintain the campus grounds and facilities, cook the food and do just about everything else (except teach classes). To learn more about available work positions on campus, visit Handshake, our new online job posting website or stop by the LifeWorks Office on the 3rd floor of the Krannert building. Since some LifeWorks jobs require managerial and supervisory skills, you will want to plan ahead if you want to secure one of these advanced work positions.

Yes. Many faculty members hire student workers to assist in or perform academic research. Academic Research positions are typically Level 3 and Level 4 positions. Students performing specific tasks in support of faculty research are usually classified as Level 3. Students performing research with intent to publish/present the results are usually classified as Level 4. Faculty supervisors will determine which of their research assistants are classified as Level 3 or Level 4. The advancement criteria for the Academic Researcher positions are described below.

Level 3: Basic Research
Entry Criteria: Successful completion of two terms at Level 1 or demonstrated performance in similar off-campus employment. Will consider exceptions based on faculty recommendation.

Level 4: Advanced Research
Entry Criteria: Successful completion of two terms at Level 2 or one term at Level 3 or demonstrated performance in similar off-campus employment. Will consider exceptions based on faculty recommendation.

All incoming, first-year students are paid $9 per hour. As you gain experience and move up within the LifeWorks levels, you’ll also move up in pay. The pay ranges from $9 up to $9.50, depending on your work level.

Yes. Pay rates for the different student work levels are noted below. 

Level 1 – Entry Level/$9 per hour
Level 2 – Skilled/$9 per hour
Level 3 – Advanced/$9.25 per hour
Level 4 – Supervisory/$9.50 per hour
Level 5 – Director/$9.50 per hour

Students are paid every two weeks, and paychecks are sent to student mailboxes or are deposited electronically to your bank account. You have the option of setting up direct deposit through the payroll office.

Students log time through an easy-to-use online timesheet. Students are responsible for logging their hours each time they work and for submitting their timesheets to their supervisors for review and approval at the end of the two-week pay period.

Yes. While all students start with an entry-level job, every student has the opportunity to move up to more challenging jobs with greater responsibility, leadership and management roles. Student work positions are classified into five levels, which are listed and described below.

Level 1 – Entry Level
Description: Entry-level, task-oriented. Students learn basic work skills. Emphasizes work ethics such as dependability, attention to detail and teamwork.

Level 2 – Skilled
Description: Experienced, task-oriented. Students have proven to be dependable workers and team players.

Level 3 – Advanced
Description: Experienced, project-oriented. Students have the experience necessary to train Level 1 students. Students learn project management and more advanced work skills.

Level 4 – Supervisory
Description: Supervisory, project management. Students have the skills to supervise other students and are able to manage major projects or perform advanced academic research.

Level 5 – Director
Description: Departmental management. Students have the skills to supervise other students and are learning to manage the activities of and to represent a department.

Entry criteria for each student work level are listed below. First, a supervisor must be willing to hire you for a higher-level position. Second, you must have demonstrated satisfactory performance in lower level jobs. Finally, you must have completed any required training.

Level 1 – Entry Level
Criteria: None

Level 2 – Skilled
Criteria: Successful completion of one term at Level 1. Completion of any required training.

Level 3 – Advanced
Criteria: Successful completion of one term at Level 2. Completion of any required training.

Level 4 – Supervisory
Criteria: Successful completion of one term at Level 3. Completion of any required training. Does not apply to elected or competitively selected positions (e.g., SGA officers or Resident Assistants).

Level 5 – Director
Criteria: Successful completion of one term at Level 4. Completion of any required training. Does not apply to elected or competitively selected positions (e.g., SGA president or Head Resident Assistants).

It depends. Every LifeWorks job offers students opportunities to develop unique professional skills. For example, a Financial Aid Assistant will be expected to explain a financial aid package to a student, and an Oak Hill Docent will be expected to lead a tour. However, the LifeWorks program is also designed to teach the general work skills listed below. These skills were listed as desirable skills from a recent survey of employers.

General Work Skills:

• Taking Initiative – Taking appropriate actions without asking for instructions.
• Dependability – Being punctual, reliable and trustworthy.
• Accountability – Accepting responsibility for actions.
• Teamwork – Cooperating with others to achieve a goal.
• Problem-solving – Identifying effective solutions to problems.
• Quality Service – Courteously and efficiently responding to customer requests.

In LifeWorks, you’ll learn valuable transferable professional skills “on the job” (you won’t have to worry about sitting through two-hour training lectures). Our philosophy is sometimes referred to as “experiential learning.” Think of it as learning by doing. You and your LifeWorks supervisor will establish expectations at the beginning of the semester, and you’ll receive periodic feedback on your progress as you go.

Our staff, faculty and some upperclassmen students will function as your LifeWorks supervisors. LifeWorks supervisors are more than just bosses, and they care about more than just getting the work done. Very often, they are your primary mentors and teachers who are committed to helping you take the next steps on your journey of personal and professional development at Berry (and beyond).