Gen Xer juggles six remote jobs, aims for $800K by outsourcing work

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — A Gen Xer known as Harrison has leveraged the flexibility of remote work involving six full-time jobs, aiming to net about $800,000 this year. 

By outsourcing much of his workload, he balances multiple roles, increasing both his income and job security. 

Building a team to share the workload 

In 2023, Harrison made a profit of about $320,000 after paying his team of seven workers who are based in the United States, Canada, India, and Pakistan. They perform the bulk of his job responsibilities across various positions. 

“My person knows the updates and kinda sounds like me,” Harrison told the Business Insider, explaining about his stand-in for overlapping meetings. 

He spends around 40 hours a week managing his team and attending meetings, mimicking a standard workweek.

The technical setup

Harrison uses advanced software tools like Zoom and TeamViewer to facilitate his elaborate job juggling. His efforts remain undetected by his employers.

“I used to be nervous about the boss, losing in the stock market, bills, kids’ tuition,” he added. “The big difference of having more jobs is I’m less nervous — because if something doesn’t go well, it’s not going to kill me.”

Outsourcing in the digital age

In a similar story from the past, a security investigation by Verizon uncovered a case where a worker, identified only as “Bob,” had outsourced his coding job to a firm in China. 

He paid about $50,000 annually to the firm while earning a six-figure salary. Bob’s typical workday involved surfing Reddit, watching cat videos, and browsing eBay, while his outsourced work received excellent performance reviews.

This situation mirrored Harrison’s, albeit on a smaller scale, demonstrating a persistent trend in exploiting remote work’s potential.

Despite the apparent benefits, such as income boosts and enhanced job security, Harrison’s strategy carries risks, including potential professional repercussions and the challenge of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.