Ill-Peak3008's journey

I’ve worked 4 jobs in the last 10 years, with my longest tenure being 4 years. I was laid off from my federal job at the IRS last year and found a temporary role in February. Currently, I'm interviewing for two positions at finance firms. My background is primarily in estate and trust law and wealth management. During my interviews, both a partner and a vice president commented on my job history, noting that I’ve changed jobs multiple times. They asked if I could see myself staying long-term in a role. I’ve wanted to settle into each position, but circumstances often led to my departure. For instance, at my last job for 4 years, I hit a pay cap, and at the IRS, my position was eliminated after 18 months. One of my previous roles required extensive travel, which became unsustainable, and another ended when the attorney I worked for was disbarred, causing the firm to close. I’ve been told by a resume reviewer that having 4 jobs in a decade might be seen as job hopping, which surprised me. I always thought job hopping referred to having gaps in employment or switching jobs frequently without good reason. I’m now questioning if my job history will be a red flag for potential employers.

I'm currently in the interview stage for a job I applied to a couple of weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised when HR reached out to me within 15 hours of my application to schedule a screening call, which took place just two days later. After that, I waited a couple of weeks before HR contacted me again to set up an interview with the team, which is happening tomorrow via Microsoft Teams. During my conversations with HR, they asked about my salary expectations. I mentioned that it would depend on the total compensation package, including salary, bonuses, and benefits. However, the job posting did not include a pay range, so I did some research and found that salaries for this role at the company typically range from $75k to $164k per year, with an average between $108k and $118k. If I end up accepting the position, I know I will need at least $108k per year to make it work for me. This is my first time negotiating a salary, so I'm feeling a bit uncertain about how to approach it. I want to ensure that I don't undervalue myself if they ask for my salary expectations during the interview.