Advice on rejecting job offer from recommender I worked for this professor last summer for free and am going to ask her to be recommender for PhD application. This year I asked to work with her again, however this time I need salary. So she offered me a job, however there is no salary. Furthermore, there is no other professor involved in this project so I cannot get another recommender as well. I am not really interested in this. What can I do so that I do not piss her off and she still writes me a letter of recommendation?
Thank you all
Say that you really wish you could accept her offer but, unfortunately, lack of money is becoming an issue for you. You need to start earning money (in order to live). With regret you will have to find a funded position even if it is not so desirable.