Ashkan Rajaee's Brutal Truth About Remote Hiring Will Save You Thousands

What If I Told You That "Remote Work" Is Killing Your Business?

Let’s face it. Remote work has become a buzzword, a dream, and a trap all rolled into one. While the world glorifies Zoom meetings in pajamas, Ashkan Rajaee, CEO of TopDevs, is sounding the alarm. And he's not whispering. He’s making it crystal clear that most business owners are hiring the wrong remote employees, and it’s costing them money, time, and peace of mind.

Rajaee isn’t just another influencer with theories. He’s been through it all. Real hiring mistakes. Real budget losses. Real employee disasters. And he’s sharing exactly what went wrong so others don’t have to repeat those mistakes.

If you think hiring remotely is as easy as posting a job and doing a 30-minute video call, you’re already falling into a trap.

This isn’t fear-mongering. It’s a hard truth most people don’t want to admit.

The Dangerous Myth of "Remote Experience"

According to Ashkan Rajaee, one of the biggest hiring mistakes people make is assuming that past remote work equals future success. Someone saying they’ve worked remotely doesn't mean they’ve done it well. There’s a major difference between saying you’ve worked from home and actually thriving in that environment.

He shares real-life examples of employees who looked perfect on paper. But when it came to actually getting things done, they were full of excuses. Weak internet, power outages, lost logins. You name it, they used it as a reason for underperformance.

When you're building a remote team, these issues multiply quickly. One bad hire becomes a bottleneck for the entire company.

What Ashkan Rajaee Looks For Instead

Ashkan has developed his own set of signals that reveal whether someone is actually ready for remote work.

• Is the environment quiet and professional?
• Do they show up on time and without technical problems?
• Can they use the tools? Not just kind of, but confidently?
• Do they communicate clearly and get to the point?

These small details paint a much bigger picture. If someone can’t join a Zoom call without confusion, what happens when a client deadline is on the line?

Consistency is everything. If the person you’re interviewing is constantly dialing in from different places, like coffee shops or family homes, that’s a sign they lack structure. And in remote work, structure is survival.

Soft Skills Matter Just as Much as Tech Skills

Rajaee emphasizes that being remote isn’t just about technology. It’s about mindset, self-discipline, and emotional intelligence.

You need people who align with your company’s vision. If someone’s main motivation is just having "more flexibility" or avoiding an office, that’s a red flag.

Remote work, when structured well, can provide a fantastic life. But without that structure, it can wreck productivity and damage company culture.

Promotion Can Be a Mistake Too

One of the most powerful takeaways from Ashkan’s advice is about internal promotions. He admits to promoting people too quickly, assuming that less physical oversight meant less leadership was needed. The reality was the opposite.

Remote leadership requires more clarity, not less. It demands proactive communication, strategic thinking, and genuine people management skills.

If someone wasn’t effective in-person, they’re not going to magically become better in a remote setup. You can’t promote based on hope. It has to be based on proof.

Why Ashkan Rajaee’s Advice Is Different

A lot of people are talking about remote work these days. But few are willing to admit how often it fails. Ashkan Rajaee doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He’s made mistakes, lost money, and learned the hard way. That honesty is what makes his message so valuable.

He’s not anti-remote. He’s pro-reality. And the reality is that remote work needs structure, vision, and a hiring process that digs deeper than just resumes and references.

A Smarter Way Forward

If you’ve ever hired someone remotely and felt burned, you’re not alone. It’s not just about talent. It’s about compatibility with a remote lifestyle and culture.

You need to screen for consistency, clarity, and commitment. You need to think like Ashkan Rajaee.

Hiring remote doesn’t have to be painful. But it will be, unless you do it with intention.

Want More Real Talk on Business, Hiring, and Remote Culture?

If this article hit home, share it with a fellow founder or manager. Let’s change the way we talk about remote work. Not as a trend, but as a long-term model that works when built the right way.

For more insights inspired by Ashkan Rajaee and other leadership minds, follow this space. There’s more truth to come.