If you're a hard core gamer, then getting paid to test games is probably the job of your dreams. But how exactly do you find these jobs? It's pretty simple. Game testing jobs are all over the Internet, it's just a matter of knowing where to look and who to talk to.
Game testing involves playing pre-released games for bugs. Basically it's your job to play the game and find any technical issues that we all know as gamers arise. All game companies require testers as part of the game distribution process. Some testing positions require you to play a game more for its fun factor as part of the marketing research. The qualifications for becoming a game tester are minimal. That being said, who better than to apply for that job than a gamer?
Below you will find 7 easy steps to your dream game testing job: 1. Join gaming sites. There are so many out there. You can get on their mailing lists and receive newsletters which most of the time indicate major game testing job opportunities as they arise. These sites are usually the first to know of hot testing jobs as well as the most up to date gaming information. Two examples of testing games that were recently posted on game sites include testing for Shadowrun and Biohazard. 2. Search the forums within the game sites. There are already a ton of gamers testing games for a living, so they can cue you in on how to get started. Word of mouth is always a plus in this field. Gamers talk to other gamers and of course share their jobs and other key information that will be helpful to you. 3. Search job boards such as Monster and Careerbuilder, to name just a few. You can check out the jobs under names such as "Tester", "Game Tester", "Quality Assurance", "QA Tester", and "QA Tester". Be sure to search in your area. 4. Conduct a massive search using engines such as Google, Yahoo & MSN. You can search using the same terms you would when searching job boards. You would look for open jobs and most of the time you will see them clearly in the search results. 5. Market yourself. Every major game distributor has a website. Get in touch with them. Let them know you're looking for a job. Just get your name out there. See who can help you with the job search. You can usually do this by email or phone. 6. Consider a membership site. There are good membership sites out there that give you immediate access to apply for all available game testing jobs. Most of them are legit and are not very expensive to join. 7. Talk to friends and family members that may already be involved with a game company. See if they can help you get your foot in the door. Let them know what you're looking to do and how you can help the company they have connections with.
If you have the time and patience to do the research, it will pay off. And if you don't have the time, you can rely on a membership site that has already done all of the work for you. If you get your name out there to enough people, you will start getting feedback.
Concentrate heavily on networking and word of mouth. Sell yourself to as many people as will listen. Do your homework and know what jobs are out there for the taking.
It may seem like its hard work, but in the end it will all be worth it to have your dream job.
Lou Garrett is a hard core gamer who has been playing video games for over 15 years. Lou runs a successful website focused on all aspects of game jobs. You can visit this site by clicking below: Get A Game Job
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