Outsource That – 6 Surprising Niche Roles That Can Be Outsourced Overseas

When my buddy Jake told me he was outsourcing his construction estimates to someone in Romania, I thought he’d lost his mind. Three months later, his bids were coming in 40% more competitive, and he was landing projects left and right. Turns out, there’s a whole world of specialized talent out there that most of us never think to tap into.

Here are six roles that might blow your mind.

1. Construction Estimating Services

Jake stumbled onto outsourcing construction estimating after his regular estimator quit mid-project. He found a quantity surveyor in Eastern Europe who knew more about US building codes than some local contractors.

These professionals tear apart blueprints, calculate material costs down to the last nail, and spot problems before they become expensive headaches. Jake’s guy works nights (their time), so estimates are ready first thing in the morning. He’s saving 60% compared to hiring locally, and the quality is actually better.

2. Medical Transcription and Coding

Dr. Sarah Chen runs a busy family practice and was drowning in documentation until she discovered medical transcriptionists in Manila who specialize in American healthcare. These aren’t random typists – they’ve studied medical terminology, understand HIPAA inside and out, and can decode the worst doctor handwriting.

Sarah records patient notes on her phone, uploads them before heading home, and finds perfectly formatted documentation waiting the next morning. One transcriptionist even caught a billing error that would’ve triggered a $12,000 audit.

3. Patent Research and Analysis

Tom’s tech startup needed to know if their new algorithm would infringe on anyone’s intellectual property rights. However, hiring a patent attorney for research would’ve eaten their entire legal budget.

Instead, he found a former patent examiner in India who could dig through databases, analyze prior art, and produce thorough reports. The researcher identified three potential conflicts that could’ve turned into million-dollar lawsuits. Tom’s attorney was initially a little unsure. However, once he had reviewed the work, he was convinced. It turned out to be some of the highest-quality patent research he’d ever encountered.

4. Architectural Drafting & 3D Modeling

Maria’s architecture firm was constantly behind on CAD work. Her local drafters were good but slow, and hiring more would’ve meant bigger office space and higher overhead. A colleague suggested trying offshore drafting. Like Tom’s attorney, Maria was somewhat skeptical to begin with. How could someone thousands of miles away understand her design vision?

As it happens, like most digital tools, geography is no barrier. Maria’s team in the Philippines uses the same software to take her rough sketches and convert them into detailed technical drawings. The results make her ideas look even better than she’d imagined. Another outstanding perk is that due to the time difference, the offshore team works while she sleeps, so she wakes up to discover progress every morning.

The 3D renderings they produce help her clients visualize projects in ways that hand sketches never could. One client actually increased their budget after seeing the 3D walkthrough because they got so excited about the possibilities.

5. Voice Acting and Audio Production

This one surprised me the most. My friend Dave runs a corporate training company and was spending a fortune on voice actors for his e-learning modules. On a whim, he decided to give working with a voice actor in South Africa a try. He found a candidate who had the perfect, neutral accent that would appeal to a global audience.

The quality was broadcast-ready, the turnaround was quicker than his local studio could manage, and the cost was a mere fraction of what he’d been paying. Now, Dave has a whole roster of international voice talent for different projects.

6. Genealogy Research

When Susan decided to research her family tree, she quickly ran into a wall when attempting to trace her great-grandmother’s roots in Poland. Local genealogists quoted her thousands of dollars and months of work.

After doing some research online, she located a researcher in Warsaw who specializes in searching for local records – no mean feat in a country that was mostly flattened in WWII. Using her local knowledge and language skills, the woman was able to read old handwritten documents, knew exactly which archives and public record houses to check, and had connections with local historical societies. In under six weeks, Susan was the proud owner of a full family tree going back five generations, including photos and fascinating historical context.

The researcher even discovered a castle that had once been owned by the family, but had passed out of their ownership in the fog of war. Susan paid a fraction of the price that domestic genealogists charge, and received results that would never have been possible to achieve without her new connection.

These examples show that geography can be less crucial than skill and dedication for many tasks. The trick is to find the right people, set clear expectations, and give them the tools they need to succeed. Start with one project, use that as a barometer, and if everything checks out, you’ve just added a new resource to your armory.