You think you got the chops to meet the demands of video game tester jobs? I can see you leaning back on the couch and thumbing that controller…but it isn’t all cruising around the game field. You need some skills. Because the people who will be hiring you are for real, unlike the dudes in your games. In other words…their blood is red…and so is yours.
So, if you want to avoid getting knocked off your feet in the first interview, there are some things to consider. In truth there are a number of things to consider…but I need to keep this article short. Therefore I’m going to make a suggestion you check out the resource at the end for additional support.
What it all comes down to, are skills. You’ve probably heard people throw around the term skill-set before. Any job you apply for requires some know-how. What I want to do here, is look at four necessary abilities for game testers.
What do you know about how games are developed? This is the first skill you are going to need. No doubt this doesn’t cross your mind when you’re playing those games you so much enjoy. However, there is some real intelligence that went into developing that game environment you so much enjoy. So you need to start boning up on what that process is all about.
Have you given any thought to your education? No you don’t need a degree beyond high-school. But, how far do you want to go with this thing? Perhaps playing and testing games is all you want. However, there are greater horizons to this whole game testing gig. And developing better skills means more education.
Another thing to consider is your thinking process. Playing games requires one kind of focus. Testing games requires an entirely different focus. As a game tester you will put on your analytical hat. It is a different kind of focus. Instead of beating your opponent, now you are looking to find issues within the game.
Lastly, you need to be able to communicate. Companies will be very specific in terms of the type of information they are looking for. You’ll have reports to fill out. You’ll have to keep track of problems you encounter while game testing. And all of this info will need to be relayed in a clear and concise manner.
As I said, these are just a few of the important skills necessary for establishing a successful game testing career. You need to consider if these are skills that you currently have. Where are you weak? Where are you strong? My suggestion is not to just wing this thing. Take it seriously, and you are going to put yourself ahead of the casual mindset that so many others have.
I’d like to plant a seed here. If you’ve read this far, I’d guess you’re serious. So am I. I want to help you get that job. More than that, I’d like to suggest to see this as an entry point to a career. There is a great big gaming world out there to be had. And you could be one of the few to shape it. Start now, and plot your career path.
Looking to find the best job opportunities as a beta game tester, then visit Owen Cole’s favorite site to find the best advice on video game tester jobs on the Internet.