Affordable Tips for Setting up Remotely – For Your Urgent Start Role in London
Affordable tips setting up remotely – for your quick start temporary role in London
When I first moved from Auckland to London in 2016, I had a suitcase, a backpack and only my iPhone tying me to the digital world. For most people travelling, a smartphone will be more than enough to get you to your airport gate, help you ask ‘what sort of meat is this’ at the local supermarket and help you navigate back to your hostel from the fun, yet dodgy part of town where you found yourself in the wee hours.
Arriving at my new job, I was given a computer, a desk and all the stationery and support I needed from my new team in London. This was in 2016, and we are now living in a very different world during/after COVID-19. This got me thinking, what can you do to best help yourself secure a new job in London remotely and get started?
The first thing you will need is access to a computer. Whilst a large portion of London’s companies aren’t hiring at the moment, those that are will either supply you with a laptop or ask you to use your own. With the ever evolving and last-minute nature of temporary work in London, some companies will want to hire people before they have equipment with which to provide them. One of our Clients had 40 jobs to recruit to start within 48 hours – they asked prospective hires to use their own laptops. If you don’t have one, or if you need an upgrade, there are several avenues you can go down to get you started.
The first and somewhat most obvious choice, would be Amazon. They have a vast range of laptops ranging from about £200 upwards, which will often be more than enough to get you started with some light work. You should also consider second hand options to be found on Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace – though do be wary of sellers who aren’t willing to meet you in person and ask for payment via PayPal or bank transfer, these are amongst scammers’ most common trait. If you fancy going into a store and speaking with someone regarding your needs and requirements, consider Curry’s PC World or John Lewis (have a look for some open-box deals at John Lewis, there can be some great discounts to be had). Get yourself a cheap pair of headphones with a microphone while you are at it, these will come in handy when you’re on video calls in your new London sharehouse living room.
The second thing you need to make sure you have, and bear with me, is an email address. Yes, I am sure you have one, but hear me out. When was the last time you changed it? Is it the same email address you created as a teenager? A colleague of mine had robsterdalobster@hotmail.com up until recently, which was great back in third form but not so good when looking for work in London. There are a wealth of email providers out there, with Gmail and Outlook.com coming in at the top.
Microsoft 365 will give you access to Word, Excel and Outlook to name a couple and can be bought for £7.99 per month after a free one-month trial. You can install it on up to six computers so consider splitting it with your flat mates or friends if there is more than one person who would benefit. Also make sure you create a free ZOOM account if you haven’t already, as this is what most companies are using to communicate with their teams.
By now, you’ve got:
✅ A phone
✅ A laptop
✅ Headphones
✅ A professional email address
✅ Microsoft Office
That’s all you’ll need to work remotely with your own equipment. All that’s left are a couple of tips for when you first meet your new London team virtually. Business up top, party on the bottom has never been truer. While you’ll likely be dressed casually for your new job working from home, just remember that first impressions last. Dress up a bit on your first day, then take a view on how your manager and new colleagues are dressed and adjust accordingly. For any video calls you may be on, avoid the kitchen if at all possible – everyone forgets how noisy a boiling kettle is. Try to have a plain background behind you, and sit closer to a wall to avoid anyone walking around in the background. You’re now equipped, prepared and ready to secure that remote role!
If you are a candidate looking for your next temporary or permanent office support role in London, contact our team so we can help you with your job search support@australasian.co.uk
Take care, stay safe and stay positive and we hope to see you soon!
Australasian Recruitment Company