RTR is right to represent. It is what some recruiters give you when you agree to be represented by them since they found the position for you. I have done this many times and gotten jobs because of it.
Now in this case a recruiter today said the range of the job salary and I said that I am in that range. He put the top of the range, and then after I agreed with it, he said that client was pushing back on that number. He asked how I wanted to proceed and there was only one choice for me.
I said thank you for your time, but I will not make less than what I do now and good luck on finding the candidate. He responded by not listening to me, but asking if I could go lower. I said no and that I didn’t want to work with that company or him again.
Yes this may sound harsh, but if a recruiter doesn’t listen to what you are clearly saying, then I don’t trust them to represent me and I certainly don’t want to work for a company where $10 an hour is a big deal. If anything that salary is less than I deserve for all of the hard work, knowledge and skill I bring to it.
Don’t settle for less than you deserve and the market is willing to pay. You have earned it and deserve it.