Student employment

Ferrum College utilizes the Handshake application to post jobs for our students. Upon enrollment at the College, all students are uploaded into the Handshake system. Please use the following instructions.

Activate your Handshake account:

• Go to www.ferrum.edu.
• Click on CAMPUS PORTAL on the top right corner of the home page and log in.
• Click on the Handshake icon.
• Click Ferrum College Login.
• You will be prompted to answer some demographic questions to complete your profile. You will also be asked to upload your resume, but that is not required to complete your profile.
• Here is an article that can help you through this process: Getting Started with Handshake.
• At this point, you are ready to apply for jobs.

Search for open positions:

• Click on the “Jobs” link at the top left-hand corner of the page.
• In the location filter, enter “Ferrum” and adjust the distance from Ferrum, VA to 10 miles.
• You will see a list of all the open student employment positions. Keep checking back for new postings.

Apply for a position:

• Once you find a position you are interested in, click “Apply Externally.”
• You will be taken to the Ferrum College Student Employment application form.
• Please make sure that you note the following information from the job description because you will need it to complete your application: position title and department.
• If you are applying for more than one position, you will need to fill out an application for each.

What to expect after you apply:

• You will be contacted by the position supervisor for an interview.
• If you are applying for more than one position, please let the person interviewing you know—it will not hurt your chances of getting the job, but it is helpful to the supervisor.
• If you are offered a position, please let the supervisor know promptly if you are accepting the position or declining the position.
• Once you accept a position, please do not interview for or accept a position from another department. The original person who hired you has most likely made plans based on the students who accepted their positions.

NOTE: There is a Handshake app you can download after you activate your account. You can find further information by reading this article: About Handshake Mobile for iOS and Android

Please contact the Student Employment Office at studentemployment@ferrum.edu for assistance.

When you accept a position:

1. The supervisor will review all applications received for the job, select applicants of interest, contact them, and schedule interviews.
2. Supervisors will notify the applicant they are interested in hiring, and schedule work hours around the student’s class schedule when someone is hired.
3. If you accept a job offer, you are committed to that position for the academic year. Supervisors will notify Student Employment about hiring you; you will go to Room 109A in the Carter Center (lower level Stanley Library) to fill out paperwork discussed below. If other supervisors contact you after you have accepted a position, please respond to tell those supervisors that you have already accepted another position.
4. Student Employment will email you a new hire letter. This letter will outline your award amount and include details of your employment before you start your job.
5. If you do not receive a job offer, you may go back and apply for other positions until you are offered a position.

If you have not previously worked at Ferrum College, you must complete the following before beginning work:

• Complete a direct deposit form with your account and routing number.
• Complete an I-9 form. Be prepared to provide ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. Examples include an unexpired passport. If you do not have a passport, you will need to provide a driver’s license or DMV-issued identification card and a Social Security card or birth certificate. For a complete list of acceptable documents, please see page 2 of the I-9 form.
• Complete Virginia and federal W-4 tax forms.

*It is a federal requirement for employment that you provide original UNEXPIRED documents to verify your identity and your authorization to work in the United States. You will not be permitted to work until you submit the required original documents.

Students who qualify for work-study will see this information in their financial aid awards. To view your awards online,

• Go to ferrum.edu.
• Click on CAMPUS PORTAL on the top right corner of the page and log in.
• Click on the Self-Service icon.
• Click on Financial Aid.
• Making sure you have selected the correct academic year, click “Review and accept your Financial Aid Award Package.”

You will be taken to a new page that will display your financial aid awards. There will be a list showing any grants/scholarships, loans, and work-study if it has been awarded. The work-study award is for the full year; however, you can only receive half of it in fall and the other half in spring. The work-study award amounts per academic year vary based on each student’s financial aid needs.

To learn more about Financial Aid, visit that office’s work-study page.