Wow, you really are new to this.

1. E-mail stating pay. Like most any professional job, the pay range is set by the hiring manager, but the final number is negotiated according to the skill set of the candidate, and it's put into an offer letter for you to acknowledge before starting. However, you can ask the recruiter for a range. Have you asked? If you haven't asked, I can only shake my head.
2. Because you are using a recruiter, you don't call the hiring manager or HR directly for anything. The exception cases would be that you're going to an interview and either can't find the place or are delayed. Other than than, everything is handled by the recruiter. That's the recruiter's job.
3. the position is in another city and I don’t want to spend the time or money to travel there. Now you're being vague. Is that one mile, ten, twenty, fifty, or 500? If it's within an hour's time driving, it is quite reasonable to expect you to furnish your own transportation at your own cost. If you have a problem with that, you're going to have problems getting any job.
4. Lastly: I asked the recruiter if we could do a phone or skype interview and she said they wanted someone who could see the office so no, but I don’t think she’s in the position to be making decisions on their behalf When it comes down to interviewing, the recruiter's account manager has worked this detail out with the hiring manager and/or HR. An alternate (phone or Skype) interview might be convenient only for you, and you don't want to give the impression that you're difficult to work with.

What I've written above is pretty much standard procedure.

Wow, you really are new to this.

1. E-mail stating pay. Like most any professional job, the pay range is set by the hiring manager, but the final number is negotiated according to the skill set of the candidate, and it's put into an offer letter for you to acknowledge before starting. However, you can ask the recruiter for a range. Have you asked? If you haven't asked, I can only shake my head.
2. Because you are using a recruiter, you don't call the hiring manager or HR directly for anything. The exception cases would be that you're going to an interview and either can't find the place or are delayed. Other than than, everything is handled by the recruiter. That's the recruiter's job.
3. the position is in another city and I don’t want to spend the time or money to travel there. Now you're being vague. Is that one mile, ten, twenty, fifty, or 500? If it's within an hour's time driving, it is quite reasonable to expect you to furnish your own transportation at your own cost. If you have a problem with that, you're going to have problems getting any job.
4. Lastly: I asked the recruiter if we could do a phone or skype interview and she said they wanted someone who could see the office so no, but I don’t think she’s in the position to be making decisions on their behalf When it comes down to interviewing, the recruiter's account manager has worked this detail out with the hiring manager and/or HR. An alternate (phone or Skype) interview might be convenient only for you, and you don't want to give the impression that you're difficult to work with.

This has been my experience in 20 yrs of dealing with recruiters as a contract professional.

Wow, you really are new to this.

1. E-mail stating pay. Like most any professional job, the pay range is set by the hiring manager, but the final number is negotiated according to the skill set of the candidate, and it's put into an offer letter for you to acknowledge before starting. However, you can ask the recruiter for a range. Have you asked? If you haven't asked, I can only shake my head.
2. Because you are using a recruiter, you don't call the hiring manager direct for anything. The exception cases would be that you're going to an interview and either can't find the place or are delayed. Other than than, everything is handled by the recruiter. That's the recruiter's job.
3. the position is in another city and I don’t want to spend the time or money to travel there. Now you're being vague. Is that one mile, ten, twenty, fifty, or 500? If it's within an hour's time driving, it is quite reasonable to expect you to furnish your own transportation at your own cost. If you have a problem with that, you're going to have problems getting any job.
4. Lastly: I asked the recruiter if we could do a phone or skype interview and she said they wanted someone who could see the office so no, but I don’t think she’s in the position to be making decisions on their behalf When it comes down to interviewing, the recruiter's account manager has worked this detail out with the hiring manager and/or HR. An alternate (phone or Skype) interview might be convenient for you, but you don't want to give the impression that you're difficult to work with.

What I've written above is pretty much standard procedure.

Wow, you really are new to this.

1. E-mail stating pay. Like most any professional job, the pay range is set by the hiring manager, but the final number is negotiated according to the skill set of the candidate, and it's put into an offer letter for you to acknowledge before starting. However, you can ask the recruiter for a range. Have you asked? If you haven't asked, I can only shake my head.
2. Because you are using a recruiter, you don't call the hiring manager or HR directly for anything. The exception cases would be that you're going to an interview and either can't find the place or are delayed. Other than than, everything is handled by the recruiter. That's the recruiter's job.
3. the position is in another city and I don’t want to spend the time or money to travel there. Now you're being vague. Is that one mile, ten, twenty, fifty, or 500? If it's within an hour's time driving, it is quite reasonable to expect you to furnish your own transportation at your own cost. If you have a problem with that, you're going to have problems getting any job.
4. Lastly: I asked the recruiter if we could do a phone or skype interview and she said they wanted someone who could see the office so no, but I don’t think she’s in the position to be making decisions on their behalf When it comes down to interviewing, the recruiter's account manager has worked this detail out with the hiring manager and/or HR. An alternate (phone or Skype) interview might be convenient only for you, and you don't want to give the impression that you're difficult to work with.

What I've written above is pretty much standard procedure.