I’ve spent over a decade recruiting in some of the toughest markets in the world—London, Dublin, Berlin, Bucharest—building teams for startups, scale-ups, and global companies. Along the way, I saw a pattern: hiring slows companies down more than it should.

So I built something that changes that.

At BrainSource.Network, we run a real-time recruitment platform powered by 1000+ expert recruiters across Europe and beyond. Instead of relying on one agency with limited bandwidth, companies activate multiple niche recruiters per role—often 5, 20, or more. That means CVs in 24–72 hours, not weeks. Roles filled in days, not months.

This isn’t just about speed. It’s about structure, precision, and giving you visibility over the entire process. We’ve helped clients hire fast enough to win funding, avoid project delays, and hit aggressive growth targets without compromising quality.

I grew up in Satu Mare, a small Transylvanian town at the border with Ukraine and Hungary. Built my career in Bucharest, Dublin, and London, and returned to Cluj, Romania in 2020 with a new mindset and a better way to do recruitment. If you’re expanding into new markets or struggling with bottlenecks, we should talk.

Feel free to get in touch on vlad @ brainsource dot io or by phone on:

  +44 204 5025 791 (UK) - London, U.K.
  +353 83 167 0036 (IE) - Dublin, IE
  +4 0757 846 904 (RO) - Cluj-Napoca, RO
  +1 551 2647 903 (US) - Raleigh, U.S.

Vlad Romuald Pop

Here’s an unpopular truth, most CV advice is garbage.

Everyone says, “Just send out 50 resumes a week!"

 or

“Make it perfect and professional!”

Meanwhile, 90% of candidates are doing exactly that. 

And what happens? They get ignored.

The top 10% don’t just hit “apply.” 

They think. They tweak their CV to match the job. 
Not completely rewriting it, just highlighting what matters, using the words the recruiter is looking for, and showing results that actually align with the role.

If the Job posted wants someone with leadership experience, don’t just write your title. 

Show the project you led, the team you managed, and the results that mattered.

That’s the kind of detail that makes a recruiter pause.

You don’t need a perfect CV to get noticed.

You need a strategic CV, one that makes it obvious you understand the role better than everyone else sending the same generic document.

Turning recruitment into a real-time experience | 1000+ niche recruiters across Europe and beyond | Tech-enabled. Outcome-obsessed. Human-led. Talent delivered in hours, not weeks.

Many recruiters (myself included) are overwhelmed.

A single job posting can bring even 2000+ applications these days.

Managing that volume is a challenge. 

AI and other tools help with scheduling interviews, tracking candidates, maintaining workflow.

But when it comes to spotting potential, the story changes.

Evaluating skills, experience, and growth often requires context, nuance, and judgment—things no algorithm can fully capture.

Candidates get filtered out all the time because their résumé doesn’t match expected terms.

Someone who led projects, managed budgets, or ran initiatives as a volunteer might never get noticed if the system doesn’t recognize the organization or title.

In other words, a résumé that doesn’t “fit the template” can hide real potential.

This happens thousands of times a day because some recruiters optimize for polished résumés, not for talent.

AI and technology can support recruitment, but they rarely replace human perspective.

Both play a role. Knowing how to balance the two can make all the difference in identifying candidates who bring real skills and experience.

The lesson is simple: technology should support human judgment, not replace it.

Because a recruiter can spot the spark a filter never will.

Virtual interviews seem like the easiest route for most candidates. 

You Just turn on your laptop, join the link… done.

Except most candidates blow them and don’t even know it.

These are some of the common mistakes I see:
•    Messy background, bad lighting - first impressions matter.
•    Unchecked gadgets: mic, camera, internet.
•    Talking in generalities: “I’m a hard worker” won’t cut it. Show results.

Virtual interviews expose mistakes faster than in-person ones.
Treat your virtual interview like a performance, because it is one.

What’s the worst virtual interview mistake you’ve ever seen or heard about?

Forget coding.

Forget AI.

The #1 skill companies will care about in 2026 isn’t a tool or a language, it’s how fast you can learn.

The tech, tools, and trends you use today will be outdated in a few years. What matters isn’t what you know, it’s how quickly you can pick up what you don’t know yet.

Most resumes brag about the past. The winners of tomorrow will show they can adapt, unlearn, and grow into whatever the future demands.

So here’s the question I ask every candidate, “Are you investing in the skills you have today… or the ones you’ll need to thrive tomorrow?”

Most want to stick to what they know while companies hire the people of tomorrow.

Ascom Romania

ICT Senior Software QA Engineer

UMT Software is now North Highland

Conducted various types of testing, including UI, UX, Exploratory, Functional and Confirmation Testing, on a SharePoint based financial web application hosted On-Premise and Cloud Multitenant:
•	Utilized Azure DevOps tools in an Agile CI/ CD environment for software development processes
•	Leveraged Microsoft Azure suite for Project Management and Bug Tracking activities
•	Worked with Microsoft SQL Server
•	Worked closely with Testing and Development teams to effectively manage and clarify testing requirements
•	Utilized Virtual Machines with Hyper-V technology to create dynamic testing environments
Tools: Microsoft SQL Server, Hyper-V, Microsoft Azure, TFS, SharePoint Server, SharePoint Designer (for creating workflows), Project Server

Senior Software QA Engineer

RWS Group

Project - Language Weaver AI Connectors:
•	Performed QA Manual activities on various AI Connectors, and Browser Extensions that handle connectivity and processing between internal translation management products with third-party platforms and services like MS Office 365, Figma, Memo Q, ServiceNow and Zendesk
Tools: Jira, Confluence, Azure DevOps, Test Link, Postman, Fiddler, Dev-Tools

Software QA Engineer @ Language Weaver

Project - Tridion Connectors:
•	Conducted QA Manual activities on Application Extensions and several connectors/ integrations between CMS/ DAM applications like Dropbox, Salesforce, Contenful, Magento, Marketo, Aprimo, WordPress, FTP, SAP Commerce (Hybris), Brightcove, SharePoint 365, Canto DAM and internal systems that use Translation Management System and perform extraction, processing, and updating of content
•	QA Automation (junior knowledge): Implemented automated UI tests using C# and Selenium WebDriver in an existing framework
•	Temporarily assumed the role of Product Owner, supporting Development Team, participating in strategic meetings, defining roadmaps for new features, conducting demos for managers and clients, managing Jira and Rally boards, updating documentation, and overseeing team status and task estimations through regular meetings.
Tools: Jira, Rally, Confluence, Test Link, Selenium WebDriver, Visual Studio, Graylog, GraphQL

Software QA Engineer/ PO @ Tridion & MT

Cognizant Softvision

Conducted manual testing on a widely used E-Commerce Web Application, employing the following key responsibilities:
•	Developed, executed and maintained Test Cases/Suites utilizing TestRail
•	Provided bi-weekly sign-off for deployments
•	Maintained daily communication with remote teams
•	Generated daily and weekly reports to communicate project status
•	Conducted API Testing using Postman and Fiddler
•	Executed A/B Testing for new features using Finch
•	Contributed to Performance Load Testing efforts using BlazeMeter
•	Ensured Accessibility Testing compliance using Wave, Lighthouse, and aChecker
•	Conducted Regression, Confirmation and Exploratory Testing across Staging and Production environments
•	Managed ongoing and forthcoming experiments
•	Conducted Mobile Web Testing using both physical devices and Mobile Emulation in Chrome
Tools: Jira, TestRail, GitHub, Jenkins, Confluence, BlazeMeter, Wave, Lighthouse, aChecker, Kibana, Finch, Virtual Machines and other proprietary tools

Conducted manual testing on a Windows Desktop Application serving as a point of sale utilized by Franchisees globally, encompassing the following responsibilities: 
•	Developed and executed Test Cases/Scenarios utilizing Rally
•	Analyzed User Stories and formulated Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) based on specifications
•	Recorded and tracked bugs
•	Collaborated closely with various departments including Support, Development, Product Management, and DevOps
Tools: SQL Developer, Fiddler, Jira, Rally, Microsoft Office Suite

Software QC Engineer

Neusoft EDC

Engaged in QA Manual activities across diverse projects, encompassing the following tasks:
•	Formulated Test Strategy to guide testing efforts
•	Developed, updated, and reviewed Test Cases aligned with specifications
•	Executed System, Functional, Non-Functional, Exploratory, Acceptance, Confirmation, and Regression Testing in both emulated and physical target device environments
•	Generated comprehensive Reports after testing rounds
•	Deploying new application builds on target devices using Jenkins on Linux 
•	Utilized Jira for Bug Reporting and Bug Tracking
•	Suggested Enhancements to Product Owners
•	Maintained and Updated QA documentation in Confluence
•	Conducted Demo sessions for Product Owners and Product Managers
•	Maintained close collaboration with development teams and designers throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
•	Automated testing using Java with Selenium WebDriver in Eclipse
•	Conducted Sanity and Non-Sanity checks on Android mobile terminals using radio tester devices
•	Performed Content Moderation (Acceptance testing) for mobile app Stores
•	Supervised a Manual QA Team involved in a mobile testing project
•	Conducted training sessions for internal Neusoft Teams
Tools: Jira, Test Link, MS Office suite, Jenkins, Linux (basic commands), Confluence, Eclipse, Selenium, Java, radio tester devices, mobile devices, mobile emulators

Software QA Engineer

MMM Autoparts Turda, Fujikura Automotive Cluj-Napoca, STC Production Zalau

MMM Autoparts (engaged in the production of tubing for engines) Turda, Romania
Fujikura Automotive (focused on manufacturing electrical equipment for automobiles) Cluj-Napoca, Romania 
STC Production (specialized in furniture production) Zalau, Romania 

Engaged as a Process QA Engineer, responsible for overseeing quality assurance processes and enhancing operational efficiency, with the following key responsibilities:
•	Coordinated a team of quality inspectors to ensure adherence to quality standards
•	Conducted QRQC (Quick Response Quality Control) for addressing customer claims promptly
•	Analyzed reports pertaining to various quality indicators to drive continuous improvement
•	Offered support to the Production department to optimize processes and maintain quality standards
•	Managed scrap and non-quality costs to minimize production losses
•	Executed validations in the Production environment to ensure compliance with specifications
•	Developed and maintained documentation for production parts to ensure accuracy and consistency
•	Acted as the 5S Responsible party to uphold workplace organization and efficiency
•	Conducted Internal Process Audits to identify areas for improvement and ensure adherence to quality standards

Process Quality Assurance Engineer within the Automotive industry

I am a detail-oriented Software Engineer with over 12 years of experience specializing in QA Manual practices across web, desktop, and mobile applications. I possess a robust foundation in Problem Solving and Agile Methodologies. I am deeply passionate about exploring new technologies and thrive on collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional products.

Outside of work, I enjoy indulging in various hobbies such as reading books, playing PC/console games, engaging in running activities, listening to Rock and Roll music, as well as drawing and playing the bass guitar

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