Turning down job

[MrsCD67]

I've got a decent job lined up although it's not my dream job so I don't see myself staying long but I needed money hence I applied for it.
Now I've spotted another job online and it's something I'm quite interested in doing although I don't know whether to take the risk in turning down the job I already have in order to try and get this other job.
I'm supposed to be starting in 1.5 weeks- is it really bad to turn it down with such late notice?
Any thoughts on turning the job down to take the risk of getting a different job?
Thank you

Don't turn existing job down, do apply for the other one. See what happens. If you end up having to hand in your notice soon after starting original job, hey, that's just the way it goes sometimes.

Don't turn down the job on the assumption that you'll get Other Job. Apply for Other Job anyway and hope for the best.

I've applied for the job but the closing date
for applications is only a couple of days before my start date for the job I got! So if I signed the contract and started the job, but then got an offer to do my preferred job, I'd potentially have to quit just a few days in!

From the point of view of the employer of the job you've got it's going to make very little difference to them whether you quit now or in the first week or so of the job (same amount of effort to rerecruit). So you might as well start the job you know you have while you work out whether you'll actually get an offer for the other job and it's actually a job you want!

It's normal to have several applications and interviews on the go when you are job hunting.

Plus sometimes what can seem as a dream job doesn't look as good when you meet the people. I turned down a job on a 25% pay rise because at interview I got the feeling that it would be a nightmare. I've also left a job after a week because I realised I would be miserable. And stayed 9 years at a job that I hated for the first few months!

Dont worry about it. Quitting a few weeks into a job isnt all that bad to be honest. A pain, but better for the employer than six months in where there has been a settling in period that will need to be gone through again.

Just to say if your offered the second job, don’t hand your notice in until you receive your contract!!