I have a job from offer from company A. I might get an offer from company B. However I prefer working for C.
My plan is to say yes to A or B but if C offers I would much rather work there. Is it really bad to accept a job and then turn it down a week later - before I start work? Normally I would not do that but I really want to work at C, it’s a great environment for me with great benefits.
Has A or B put a deadline on when they need an answer to their offer? If so, wait until last possible time under their deadline, while you wait for an offer from C. If they have not put a deadline, let them know you need some time make a decision based upon competing offers, and determine the latest you can accept A or B’s offer while waiting.
If all else fails and the timing just doesn’t work out, there’s nothing wrong with accepting A or B, and then quitting later if C does finally offer. It’s part of the job process. However recognize that you will have burned a bridge at A or B.
I’m sure you’ve thought of this, but you could call C and tell them about the job offer from A.
I just had a recent similar experience. Although I feel bad about the way I handled it.
While working at job A, I get hired for a better job at company B. Since both are part time I decide to work both. Then I get hired on for job C. I quit job A (I handled that just fine) but job B was still running a background check on me. Today I get a call saying to start job B tomorrow and I have to tell them that I got job C. I should have told them about it yesterday or last week :o. So now if job C goes bad I won’t have job B to fall back on.
Take the job offer. Then if something better comes along, tell them.
I recall after 9-11 the hotel company I worked for immediately took back all job offers outstanding and suspeded hiring. It was a pain for other too. I know of three people that QUIT our hotel to take jobs elsewhere and all had their job offers retracted.
A long time ago I had this happen, I was offered a job and then I got a call in a few days saying the guy wanted his old job back and they took the offer back. Another time I got a job offer and on the day I was supposed to start, they retracted it.
So it happens both ways. Just take the job. It’s highly unlikely you were the only candidate, so if you get a better offer, they can go with their second choice.
B and C know I have an offer from A. I most likely will take the job at A, hopefully they will up the offer. Good thing about C is they are almost always hiring so I can talk to them again next year or later this year.
I got offers from A, B and C. I turned down A and now I have to turn down B. In case you want to know who C is, check out #1 on this list.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/snapshots/1.html
:eek: Holy crap. Hey, if you get in there, put in a good word for me, would you? 
I have used SAS software for 15 years so that’s the main reason why they hired me. Many people try for a long time to get hired there. I applied for about 20 jobs there and got 3 interviews and 1 offer.