It sounds to me like this guy just wants to be a consultant. Uncle Sam must love him, because instead of taking in 3x W2 incomes he could be contracting out to each company with a much more favorable tax situation, and have everything above board. In fact thousands of consultants do exactly that and many make a lot more than 300k a year.
The only difference here is he is doing consulting in as shitty and unsustainable way as possible, will likely burn bridges when the employers find out, will never be able to take a vacation or relax, and is almost certainly working way more than 40 hours a week. Not really my idea of a good time.
I'm torn between this being fraudulent and being totally fair if his employers have no clue.
I guess I'm old school? I built my reputation, network and career based on doing actual work and getting shit done. And that happens to be the harder but more lucrative, guilt-free and rewarding path than this.
Personally, as someone who employs people, I don't like it because I don't feel mid to senior people should have to be babysat and have someone watching their every move to ensure they are actually working. Find shit to do and add value, ask your team if they need help. Certainly he can add value for more than just the shit that is directly assigned to him.
It's a really bad look, especially for IT which got ravaged by the cloud over the years.
This guy can't be that good technically given his salary goal for the first job. He's definitely taking advantage of these companies. And taking 2 jobs from other people.
> "I am salary-based, so it doesn't really matter if I work 15 hours a week or 40 hours a week," he said. "If I do the job that they hire me for, then I have earned my pay."
What low talent, low ambition people say.
That being said, it's a strong financial move for him at 48 yrs old for his family. If I was in that career spot and financial position as him at that age, I may consider it too.
there are hard paths, and there are easy paths of course.
there are people holding 5, sometimes 10, directorships at different companies, collecting a nice little 30-50k paycheck at each firm for nodding heads and opining hand-wavily, or sometimes offering up their rolodex at annual meetings. no change to the economic circumstance? sign off on last year's agenda and let's head to the golf course. is it harder that what this guy is doing? is it harder than what you are doing?
The only difference here is he is doing consulting in as shitty and unsustainable way as possible, will likely burn bridges when the employers find out, will never be able to take a vacation or relax, and is almost certainly working way more than 40 hours a week. Not really my idea of a good time.