| Step One: Be Proactive! | | | | is a job. Yes, it's a really fun job, but it |
| | | | is still a job nonetheless. This means that |
| You won't land any video game tester jobs if | | | | you have to treat it as such and take every |
| you just sit around and wait for a "Game | | | | part of it seriously. Don't merely sit down |
| Testers Wanted" ad to appear in the paper. It | | | | and play the game to have a good time. Sit |
| won't happen. So instead of sitting back and | | | | down and play the game so that you can |
| waiting for a miracle to occur, just get out | | | | collect a paycheck when you're through. |
| there and find the perfect video game testing | | | | |
| job for you. | | | | Many "wanna-be" testers believe that being a |
| | | | professional video game tester is a "no work, |
| Head straight to the game companies and | | | | all play" type of career. Honestly, they |
| developers and apply for testing jobs. Since | | | | couldn't be more wrong. Although there aren't |
| they aren't looking for you, the only logical | | | | huge amounts of work that a game tester must |
| step is to actively search for them. Once you | | | | wade through, there are still a few things |
| find them (which shouldn't take too long), | | | | that he/she has to complete. For instance, |
| apply for a game tester position with them | | | | filling out reports. Surprised? Well, most |
| and then repeat the process for as many | | | | aspiring young testers are when they hear |
| different companies as humanly possible. | | | | that there is actual work involved with video |
| | | | game testing. |
| On your application/resume, brag about all of | | | | |
| your video game achievements, such as the | | | | Contrary to what you may have thought, you |
| consoles you own, the games you've played, | | | | won't be simply playing games and giving your |
| the games you own, the MMORPGs you are apart | | | | opinion on whether they are good or not. You |
| of, and anything else that shows how much | | | | will actually be testing them. You will play |
| experience you have with video games. And if | | | | through a game, find any bugs or glitches, |
| you want to help your cause even further, | | | | and then fill out reports on any problems |
| create a website/blog that talks about video | | | | that you come across. This is to help the |
| games, gives reviews, previews, cheats, | | | | developers and programmers locate and fix |
| hints, tips, etc. | | | | those problems. You don't have to be an |
| | | | English professor or a college graduate to |
| You have to remember that experience and | | | | write bug reports, but you will have to have |
| professionalism count for a lot in this | | | | basic writing skills. Aside from the reports, |
| industry. Therefore, the more experience you | | | | you will also be required to fill out |
| have and the more professional you are, the | | | | numerous questionnaires; which are typically |
| better your chances are for getting a video | | | | opinion based. |
| game tester job. | | | | |
| | | | As soon as you accept the fact that you'll be |
| Step Two: Step Out of Fairy Tale Land and | | | | doing actual work as a video game tester, you |
| Into Reality | | | | will have much more success finding testing |
| | | | jobs. |
| You have to realize that video game testing | | | | |