I really need a laptop for a job interview, can't afford it and nobody can lend me one

[Terribleluck]

Would it be terrible of me to buy one to then return it,?

Have you explained this to the prospective employer? They may have a solution

job centre adviser should be able to help you with this is hope.

But from Amazon they'll take it back within a month or two.

I think it might look odd to any prospective employer (especially in my field/industry) that I don't have a fully working computer. All jobs are in tech!

If you’re on benefits I would have thought the job centre might be able to advise?

Otherwise, any local charity that helps with unemployment - google or ask citizen’s advice (CAB) or local council?

Is there literally no family, friend or neighbour who might be able to help: have you tried posting on your Fb page (with appropriate privacy settings) asking if anyone can lend you one?

I brought a laptop used it for a month it was Rubbish. Amazon took it back so I got another from curry's

Have you tried to get the laptop to do what you need it to??
A quick google does show various possible options to rent a laptop for a couple of days.

Do the job centre have computers you can use in private rooms. It seems incredibly stupid of them not to in this day and age. I'm sorry you're going through this, it never occurred to me this could happen. I will make sure I always offer an alternative to laptops when I interview in the future.

Have you tried zoom on one of your existing devices? I'd be really surprised if it wouldn't work on them.

If they’re a halway sensible employer they shouldn’t look badly on it, especially if you’ve been out of work recently.

Ask at the library or community centre. Just because you haven’t seen them offering this facility doesn’t mean they don’t
Also do you have a community Facebook page? You could ask on that too and someone local to you might help you out
Or try hiring one

Put a notice on your local FB notice board. someone will help you

*even halfway

@searchinginsurrey

But from Amazon they'll take it back within a month or two.

I'm pretty sure they won't, you can set up a computer then send it back some time later

Yes my laptop can't handle zoom and chrome at the same time. My iPad can handle screenshare and zoom so I just need to check if it would.work with teams. As a PP said I've returned phones saying they were rubbish.

cant obvs

Job centre or CAB may be able to let you use a quiet room and their tech?

Could you email them the powerpoint, ask that they move the slides (just say 'next slide') and explain honestly your tech cannot support.

I’ve returned a laptop before, I had it for about 2 weeks and Ii couldn’t get on with the functionality, this was from John Lewis online, so some companies do accept returns.

I know you said you're using PPT but can you try to see if you can use that on your phone using Teams?

Job centre plus help with all
kinds of things. They must’ve come across this before.

That is fraud.

I think the suggestions saying to ask the job centre, or to ask on Facebook are good. Could ask on freecycle too?

I understand you not wanting to let the employer know, but if it helps for context, my very large tech employer has provision in place for exactly this kind of thing and we would never look down or penalise a candidate in these circumstances. In fact they would be given additional time to prepare the presentation e side of it being on an unfamiliar device.

Could you email the presentation to them in advance and then ask them to turn to the next slide at the right time? Use your device for the call only and explain you have issues screen sharing. Even with a good laptop and broadband screen sharing can go wrong so I don’t think it’s a bad request. Good luck!

If there anyone you can practice with who will send you a teams link and you can try screenshare to see if it works in advance. Maybe ager deleting other apps

Alternatively can you create and email over PowerPoint for someone else to screenshot and you talk though (next slide please).

Is presenting part of the job or just in the interview. If its just an internode process and you wouldn't need to present remotely on job you may get more leeway.

Why do you need chrome? Just prepare the PP in advance, save it on your device and then share the presentation on Teams. You have a choice of either sharing the presentation only so they see that only, or you can choose to share your screen which then obviously shows them everything you have open on your laptop.