How to manage (potentially) two job interviews/offers?

[lifesabitchandthenyoudie]

Hoping you can offer me some advice; probably more of an ethical question than anything...

I have two interviews coming up, and am looking for some advice if I get offered the first one, as ideally I think I’d prefer the second one.
The second one is LA, so they take for ever to go through the process; but it’s somewhere I’ve worked for a few years and more secure. However, I’ve been overlooked twice before and lost out a couple of other times. I’ve put the effort in to really step up this time and am more hopeful, but I know it’s not 100% and don’t know how I’ll cope if I lose out again. I enjoy the job as it is, though, so would probably be ok if I have to stay at this level.
The first job is likely to be offered (being positive!) before I know about the second. I know I can do the job and would love the new challenge, although there’s a lot unknown about it and although there’s no definites it should still be secure – very important to me.
So do I say ‘thank you I’ll take it’ then let them down IF I get the second job? Do I say ‘let me think about it’ and for how long? I definitely couldn’t turn the first one down on the off-chance of getting the second job.
Thanks

Usually you would ask the first company for a week to consider and let them know you are awaiting the outcome of another interview and at the same time you would tell the second company you are holding an offer from the first and ask if they can give you a decision within a week.

If you don’t have an offer from the second within a week, then accept the first and if the second comes in before you start and is significantly better than the first, then you can withdraw your acceptance of the first but if you do you are likely to have burned bridges working with the first company at any point in the future so you do need to think carefully about whether to do this.

Thank you @Katrinawaves that's helpful x