Joshua Everling always wanted to find a job that did not interfere with school.
When a friend told him about a small-scale moving company with an all-student workforce, he said he found what he needed.
This year, the company — called Bellhops — is looking to hire up to 60 new Gainesville employees.
“I always have something to fall back on in case I don’t have time for a part-time job,” the 20-year-old UF industrial and systems engineering major said.
Cameron Doody, a co-founder of Bellhops, said the company wants to continue expanding in Gainesville because of the growth it’s seen since its start in 2011.
“Our goal in Gainesville is to become a staple in the community,” Doody said. “We want to solve an issue that so many people face.”
The ideal candidate is athletic and has a positive personality. Although less than one percent of applicants are women, Bellhops welcomes female applicants who fit the criteria they are looking for, Doody said.
Bellhops get paid $13 per hour plus tips and are free to work on their own time. This is the type of flexible schedule that attracted Everling.
“That way I don’t have to worry about my academics coming after work,” he said.
Data collected from customer feedback and required Bellhops peer reviews goes on each individual bellhop’s profile. Doody said many student bellhops got jobs after showing employers these profiles.
Student bellhops who rise to the campus director position also have the opportunity to acquire an internship with the company.
This summer, 30 students will be invited to a paid internship where they will live in dorms on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus.
“It’s something that not just students and parents can enjoy as a service,” Doody said, “but that everybody can benefit from.”
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 2/25/2015 under the headline “Moving service to hire 60 students after successful first year”]
Correction: The original headline incorrectly referred to Bellhops as a company that began in 2014. It began in 2011.
Bellhops student movers Weston Wamp, right, and Jared Houghton carry a couch as part of their moving service in Chattanooga, Tenn. Bellhops is run completely via a web application.
