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,?

Keeping everything crossed for you @Terribleluck

What part of the country are you in?

there's a 'library of things' near me .. i think they are in a few cities across teh uk.

called - borrow don't buy - imagine there's a webiste with links to cities that have them. it costs a few quid.

good luck

There have been lots of suggestions on here many of which seem eminently practical to me.
I don’t know if they are still doing it but back in the summer John Lewis were doing interest free credit on MacBooks.

Contact your local library & ask if they have laptop or computer you can use on the premises - they may have some offices behind the desks or suggest a larger branch where you can do this in a nearby town

If you're near Birmingham a charity called Suited for Success lends laptops and even funky booths to carry out the interview in. Complete with lighting for the perfect backdrop. I bet other charities do it too.

Put out a call on your local Facebook page and ask if anyone can lend you one

Have these been mentioned?

www.localappliancerentals.co.uk/laptops/#:~:text=Local%20Rental%20Appliances%20provides%20laptop%20rental%20for%20anyone,laptop%20throughout%20the%20UK%20using%20http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedublinpainters.ie%2F%20our%20services.

Local library? Jobs centre?

Search digital inclusion in your area. The organisation for which I'm a volunteer and trustee, has a digital inclusion arm which lends reconditioned laptops to people (in our case, of a particular demographic) who need them for purposes such as training or interviewing.

You may well find one that helps unemployed people interview or take courses.

On the offchance that you're in London:

theworkavenue.org.uk/laptoplibrary/#menumob

If you asked on any of the local Facebook groups I’m in you would be offered any number on loan and probably to keep, so if you’ve not done that yet, really is worth doing so as you would likely get similar responses. Good luck with the interview

@Terribleluck

I don't think I'd be able to do it in a library, after all they're also assessing my working environment (I would assume?) I think the answer is in testing my iPad, hoping for the best, that and see if the work coach does anything, but I know it's nothing to be ashamed of, bit if felt like I left some of my dignity when asking the work coach.

It’s worth calling the library. Some have small rooms you can book out for study or interview. Basically this exact purpose.

That library of things seems like an amazing concept, no laptops and seems to be very London based but very cool indeed! I love fairly rurally (no job hubs nearby) so there's no real need for all of these charities where I live. Of anybody remembers my thread from the coach, they're a charity so hopefully they can help.

@Terribleluck

As I mention it's the actual PPT plus the zoom video call. My current laptop can't multitask (and I'm not sure my iPad can either). They're both fairly old on tech terms.

Could you use one to do the zoom call (or phone) and the other to do the PPT?

As mentioned, my laptop can't handle the presentation and teams. My iPad might (haven't tested). I wouldn't do it from my phone the screen is too small. I really don't want to get too stressed because that will show during the interview and then I wouldn't get the job! All of this comes from the realisation that I needed a laptop to present, asked for help, everybody I asked said "sorry I can't" and I started having a mini panic attack. I even got extremely annoyed with my DH because he opened to cream cheese tubs and we had to throw one away as it got mouldy.

Sorry what on earth does cream cheese have to do with you not having a laptop.

The Jobcentre can give you the money to buy a new laptop, contact them tomorrow and explain the situation to them.

Nothing, just that I'm very stressed and every penny counts, so wasting food = wasting money we don't have. And I never thought in my life I'd end up begging the DWP/Local council/charities for favours.

@Terribleluck

Nothing, just that I'm very stressed and every penny counts, so wasting food = wasting money we don't have. And I never thought in my life I'd end up begging the DWP/Local council/charities for favours.

Have you actually tried any of the suggestions on here though? As you mostly just seem to turn them down. You don't appear to be open to helping yourself.

@Teateaandmoretea

Does your IT policy allow using work laptops for personal use?

I have never ever heard of anyone being sacked for using a work laptop to do an online shop or book a holiday.

Letter of the law mumsnetters are so tedious.

OP tell them honestly. From a diversity pov excluding the poor from job interviews isn’t on. We’d find a way round it for sure.

DH doesn’t have a personal laptop and his work one blocks a lot of things. His work are pretty strict though.

Asking s local FB group? I think that's the only one I've been missing... The rest either a) have to talk to HR at some point (which I will, but they said they'll call), b) going to an office 6 hrs away? C) using two devices to me seems too messy and stressful, like I've said I'll test my iPad today with s PDF presentation rather than a full PPT because it has crashed sharing screens /images in the past (and that's zoom not teams). S) the rest involve businesses/orgs that are not open on weekends. I've emailed/messaged them. So apart from the using two devices or the FB group I don't see what I've said no to?

Tell employer the truth. Even if you did own a lap top, the chances are you'd not have power point installed and that's not free either

They need to know how hard it is for people

Definitely ask on your own Facebook page and your local community page - I'm sure someone will be willing to help you out and lend you what you need.

@BoredZelda

I’m senior management (but still a tech role) in one of the biggest tech firms on the planet. I don’t have a personal laptop. I’m perfectly capable of continuing to expand my knowledge on my work laptop

Yeah, he can too. But then he has different polices applied to his devices.

You can all get as bent out of shape as you like. In this day and age, it is ridiculous for someone coming to him for a job in IT not to have their own personal computer. It is also very rare.

This has come up recently amongst my friendship group when I’ve asked for advice on buying one. Out of 5 highly paid software engineer friends only one has his own laptop. It’s really not that unusual.