Job Search Questions

[El Jacinto]

I have been casually looking for a new job, in hopes of getting rid of my commute. I started working with a recruiting agency, but they are asking for managerial references up front and have said that coworkers are not sufficient. This is my first job out of college; I don't even have contact information for managers from before college; and I'd rather not alert my current employer that I am looking for a new job, since I'm not set on leaving (going to take a lot to replace the benefits here).

Do others use recruiting agencies? Should I just look for a job without one?

What should I do regarding this reference request?

[Rdy2Fire]

I have been casually looking for a new job, in hopes of getting rid of my commute. I started working with a recruiting agency, but they are asking for managerial references up front and have said that coworkers are not sufficient. This is my first job out of college; I don't even have contact information for managers from before college; and I'd rather not alert my current employer that I am looking for a new job, since I'm not set on leaving (going to take a lot to replace the benefits here).

Do others use recruiting agencies? Should I just look for a job without one?

What should I do regarding this reference request?

I work with recruiters all the time. First of all they have seen your resume and know you're just out of school so they should know you don't have many references and second they are the recruiter they should have no need for a reference that would be for the company hiring you who typically would be fine with co-workers. I'd find another recruiter probably