| Is your Play Station controller soldered to your | | | | place to start. |
| hand? Did you buy a Wii before anyone else? Do | | | | Video game testers are consider quality |
| you like nothing better than spending hours in | | | | assurance staff. Knowing the lingo will suggest |
| front of the TV playing Halo? Instead of playing | | | | your seriousness and help get you in the door. |
| those games for fun, why not play them for a | | | | Once you get that coveted interview, don't |
| paycheck? | | | | merely discuss how much you love gaming; be |
| Sound too good to be true? Video game testers | | | | prepared to talk about the company itself and |
| are a critical position in the game development | | | | your commitment to high quality work. Be sure to |
| industry. Video game creators and computer | | | | fully test all the games made by that particular |
| programmers spend years creating and designing | | | | company prior to your interview. You want to be |
| games, and testers are the ones who make sure | | | | appear both enthusiastic and knowledgeable. |
| the game is ready for release. | | | | Sounds Great! What does it pay? |
| If you are interested in computers and are | | | | Because video game testers are considered |
| beginning your college search to earn a degree, | | | | entry-level positions in the gaming industry, they |
| majoring in computer science will make you the | | | | are often offered jobs on an as-needed basis |
| ideal candidate for this dream job. | | | | rather than a regular nine-to-five position. But this |
| Not All Fun and Games | | | | doesn't mean the job doesn't pay well, because it |
| It may sound like a dream position. After all, who | | | | can-anything from $10 to over $100 an hour. |
| wouldn't want to earn a living by playing games all | | | | While games can take two to three years to go |
| day? In truth, playing video game testing can be | | | | from concept to store shelf, game testers usually |
| exhausting. Testers often begin working with the | | | | only begin testing about half way through the |
| game long before it's finished, and are required to | | | | process. As deadlines loom, video game testers |
| keep meticulous records of every bug they find in | | | | can find themselves in high demand. They can |
| a game. Sometimes it can take hours just to get | | | | often work more than twelve hours a |
| through the early levels because you have to | | | | day-sometimes on the same few moments in a |
| pause the game so frequently to record the bugs. | | | | game-working out the kinks with the |
| In order to be a video game tester, you need to | | | | programmers. As one company's site put it, "a |
| have solid writing skills, be able to communicate | | | | good tester is a programmer's worst nightmare." |
| effectively, and have an excellent eye for detail. | | | | Most video game testers work on site at the |
| After all, bugs can range from something as small | | | | company, but once your work becomes trusted |
| as a missing brick in a wall or ear on a character, | | | | you can often work from your home. |
| to major issues that halt play completely. You'll | | | | Get Educated |
| need to document every single error. | | | | While you can't (yet) earn a college degree |
| Know the Business | | | | specific to video game testing, it is a good idea to |
| You will never get a call for an interview with a | | | | look into computer programming courses, design |
| gaming company if you send in your resume with | | | | courses, and other computer science degrees. |
| a cover letter that says "Dude! I want to play | | | | Some colleges offer two- and four-year |
| video games all day!" You need to be familiar with | | | | programs in video game design, and these |
| the business, and having a degree in computer | | | | degrees will go a long way to helping you break |
| programming or video game design is a great | | | | into the gaming field. |