Stalling a job offer in anticpation of a better job?

[Bobbish]

Hello - I have a job interview tomorrow.

However, I applied for another job last week (the application deadline was Friday just gone (17th Feb). I would much rather get this job and I am pretty confident that I will at least be shortlisted for interview for it.

I could conceivably be offered the job from the interview tomorrow either later that day or the next at the earliest.

Is there any acceptable way of stalling on acceptance of a job while I see where I am at with my application for the second job? Obviously I do not want to tell them that is why I am unable to accept straight away.

Of course this all depends on getting offered the first job in the first place :)

Just tell them you have a 4 week notice period or have some holiday booked in the next few week so would start after that.

How long do you think you would have to stall them for?

But that would still mean telling them I want the job, wouldn't it? I don't want to muck them around too much because by then they would have told the unsuccessful people they didn't get it . . .

I am actually on maternity leave at the moment, so was thinking I could use the excuse of needing to confirm re child care before accepting . . . does that sound reasonable, or does it make me sound a bit lame?

I am not in the UK by the way, and where I am, they are nowhere near so flexible/family friendly. All places say they ar,e but the reality is somewhat different!

Sorry catsareevil - cross post. I reckon if they offer it i will call the other place to see how long the process may take of them shortlising/interviewing, but maybe abut a week or so?

It probably depends to some extent on what the job is, and how infrequently that type of appointment is made, though a week is pushing it I think.

It's not a job that comes up often. It is public sector as well, and with all the redeployment and cuts going on they will probably be pretty keen to fill asap.

Oh well - not overly confident I will get this one anyway, so maybe I am over thinking things a bit

Given how difficult it is to get work at present then you might be as well to approach this with a clear conscience and go for it and then if you get offered the second job worry then about what you do, rather than reduce your chances of getting job 1 when there is no guarantee that you will get job 2.

Good luck

That makes sense. Think i will try to forget all about the second job tomorrow
Thanks for the help and luck!