when you are applying for jobs ..how do you deal with potentially accepting an offer on one while one you would like better is still in the pipeline

[zippitippitoes]

..this is hypothetical by the way

but what do you do

accept the one you are offered and still go to interviews for the other?

and then take that if offered and let the first people down if you have just started it or were about to start

This is very difficult but many many years ago I had a very small business. I started a new girl on a Monday and on the Thursday she asked for time off to attend an interview for another job. I decided immediately to 'let her go'. I knew she would never stay anyway. In your hypothetical situation I think if it was me and I hadnt actually started the first job, I would go for the other interview and take the job if more suitable; telling the first employer 'due to unforseen circs etc'. However if I had already started the first job then I think i would stay there and give it a chance.

If you haven't had an interview for the 'better job' then you would be mad to turn down the first offer, IMO.

I would accept the first, go for the second and stall my start date till I had heard one way or the other.

In a previous job we used to get loads of people who dropped out a couple of days before their start date cos they had a better offer. (In fact used to have a few who never come back from lunch on their first day!!)