Negotiating pay when I have been out of work - any advice?

I do not know whether to give a range or ask for theirs. I looked up ranges in Austin and they vary a lot. Does giving a range hurt?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

Check several sources for pay in Austin, then pick a range where the low end is one you can live with.