Negotiating pay when I have been out of work, software tester here

I do not know whether to give a range or ask for theirs. I also do not want to sell myself short. 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.

Asking about the range for the role first worked for me. Some recruiters share it.