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I tend to side with John Posada in this issue. The recruiter needs to
know what you will accept to do this job. If you think the job is worth
$50/hr, ask for it. Whether you are desperate enough to do it for $30 is
irrelevant. If they come back with "Oh gee, this guy only wants to pay
$15/hr.", then you get to reconsider whether it is worth it to you to
drop your price. Be tough, but understand someone has to make the
opening bid. BTW, know the market so you don't price yourself out of
it.
I find openess with my recruiter was always the best policy. She
understood that it was my decision to accept/reject any offer and was
open with me in return. Made a good working relationship. In return,
it was my responsibility to understand how much I needed to earn and
whether I could make adjustments based on how great it would be to get
this particular job.
