Game Tester Qualifications Figuring out what qualifications you need to be a video game tester can be somewhat difficult. Often, video game companies don't actually post job openings for testers, so it can be hard to find a list of qualification or skills that they're looking for. However, all video game testing jobs have some qualifications in common. If you're looking to become a game tester, here are some skills and experiences you need to have on your resume.

The first qualification that is a must-have is, of course, a desire to play video games. If you don't like gaming or are only a casual gamer, you may not really enjoy being a game tester. If you are a serious gamer, however, it's important to reflect this in your qualifications. Some video game companies even want what they call a video game resume. This is basically a list of your favorite game genres and the games you've played in them. Sometimes they even like you to mark games you've played through more than once or games you've played for over a hundred hours. This shows game companies that you're familiar with the industry and with the top games, especially games that the company produces.

Showing that you're qualified to play video games isn't exactly the same thing as showing you're qualified to test games, of course. Even if you have a list of games you've played that's ten pages long, you may not be a good game tester. How can you show this qualification? One way is by joining video game beta tests. Beta tests are open public tests where invited players (not everyone who applies to beta test a game is accepted) play a nearly complete version of the game and provide as much feedback as possible about the experience. Joining a beta test can greatly help your chances of being hired as a game tester because it shows you have experience in the field. It can also be a good way of getting an idea of whether or not you actually enjoy game testing.

Another major qualification you need to show is an attention to detail. How do you do this? Well, one way to demonstrate this leads to another qualification: writing. You have to be able to write very clearly and directly when doing video game testing. Often, the only way you and the company will communicate is via written reports. While in today's world these reports may take the form of emails, it's still necessary to know how to write out a detailed list of what you did that caused a bug or to describe a part of the game you think needs improving.

To demonstrate your writing skills and your ability to notice small details, you may want to write a few video game reviews. Some game companies will want to see writing samples as part of your application, and these reviews can serve as those samples. They're also a good way of showing that you know video games inside and out. If you have the chance, take a writing course or two at a local university, especially a technical writing course. Having a course like this on your resume is a great way of showing how qualified you are for a game testing job.