How to apply for jobs without a pc?

Brie

I'm soon to be leaving my employer due to redundancy. So I have to give back the laptop I currently use.

How can someone apply for jobs without a pc?  I can job search as I have a tablet but won't be able open or edit my CV or view pdf job info as it doesn't have Office on it. 

I can use a pc at the library which presumably has Office but wouldn't have access to my CV on that.

I realise I could simply register with an agency but aren't sure that would solve the problem.  I had an interview recently and needed to prove my Office skills in excel and writing and formatting word documents which obviously will shortly be impossible.

Other than going out and spending ££££ on kit I'm not sure how people manage this. 

Fyi I asked my employer if I could buy my laptop from them (wiped of any work stuff) and have been told no.

Ath_Wat

If you were prepared t buy your work laptop, can't you just buy a different one?

Incidentally I don't know why you think you wouldn't have access to your cv on a library PC.  Surely they are connected to the internet.

A tablet also should be able to do basic editing and certainly opening of documents.  My phone can.

400ixl

You can use Office for free on your tablet, either install the app (if the screen is 10.1" or less) or use the online version at www.office.com.

You can also store your CV on a free online storage service like Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox and access it from there on a PC in the library or similar.

Lots of ways to do it which do not require you to have a PC at home.

Brie

The difference is that I would expect a second hand laptop to be much cheaper than something new.  

If I use the library computer how can it pull up a document stored elsewhere?

I assume those with no resources at all must just use pc at a job centre?

Grumpy_chap

If you put your current CV onto a memory stick, you can plug that in to the pc at the library.

Or use one of the online storage services mentioned above.

You should be able to access office programs on your tablet also.

Emmia

You could spend less than £50 on this bluetooth keyboard with a stand to support your tablet and use that...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Multi-Device-Wireless-Bluetooth-Keyboard/dp/B01GV6HP0E/ref=asc_df_B01GV6HP0E/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310665672682&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15748816013110227181&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-403796731913&psc=1

Or a brand new chromebook is less than £150

SusieT

I use Libre Office on my laptop, it is free and there is an app based on it called collabora that is for ios and android. It may be worth using one of those instead.

MattMattMattUK

Brie said:

I'm soon to be leaving my employer due to redundancy. So I have to give back the laptop I currently use.

How can someone apply for jobs without a pc?  I can job search as I have a tablet but won't be able open or edit my CV or view pdf job info as it doesn't have Office on it. 

If it is an Android tablet it will have Google Docs, Sheets etc. on it which are very usable. MS Office web edition also works and is free.

Brie said:

I can use a pc at the library which presumably has Office but wouldn't have access to my CV on that.

Flash drives or cloud storage would be the way to go.

Brie said:

I realise I could simply register with an agency but aren't sure that would solve the problem.  I had an interview recently and needed to prove my Office skills in excel and writing and formatting word documents which obviously will shortly be impossible.

Other than going out and spending ££££ on kit I'm not sure how people manage this. 

Fyi I asked my employer if I could buy my laptop from them (wiped of any work stuff) and have been told no.

Unless you absolutely cannot afford it I would say you should stump up and buy a personal laptop. As you have said you tried to purchase your work laptop I would recommend using those funds to buy one. 

Ath_Wat

Brie said:

The difference is that I would expect a second hand laptop to be much cheaper than something new.  

If I use the library computer how can it pull up a document stored elsewhere?

I assume those with no resources at all must just use pc at a job centre?

Well, yes, but your employer is not the only source of second hand laptops.  There are many, and as someone else has said, chromebooks don't cost much.  How much were you willing to pay for it? To make it worth their while I presume it would have had to be significant; they are not going to be interested in selling old equipment for a pittance; it would cost them more than that to just handle the admin on it.

Put your cv onto google drive or something similar if you want it to be accessible to you from any internet enabled device.

Doshwaster

You should be able to pickup a secondhand usable Window laptop with a decent spec for around £100 - I wouldn't go much cheaper than that. Otherwise ask around friends to see if anyone has an old one that they no longer use.

In the past I've bought (or been given for free) old work laptops but it doesn't tend to happen these days as the data security risks are too high.

MovingForwards

I am currently applying for jobs off my phone, even my CV was prepared / updated on it. I've got so used to using my phone for everything using a PC is quite alien, aside from the benefits of a larger screen. 

In other jobs I have worked off my phone while traveling.

As others have said, if you can afford to buy your employer's laptop, go out and buy a new one. Alternatively install open office on your tablet, it's free and is more than good enough to create a CV.