When network engineer Barry Katzman decided to become a consultant in 1994, cash envy had a lot to do with it. “All these guys used to brag, ‘I make twice as much as you do,’ ” he says. Katzman didn’t ...

Contract work is surging as companies tighten return-to-office policies and trim payrolls, reshaping how many Americans approach their careers. With layoffs hitting white-collar sectors and remote ...