Online Games

You are about to learn 4 EASY steps on how to get paid to play games online!

This guide is intended for people who want to test video games. This is not about playing card games and winning prizes. This is for serious video game testers.

Let's clear the air:

The gaming industry is worth $50 billion dollars. World of Warcraft has about 8 million users. Making quality games and MMORPGs is critical for game developers. They need their games to be bug free. Paying a game tester a few thousand dollars to test their game is pennies compared to the millions of dollars it would cost to recall the game and remake it.

Getting paid to play games is a serious business. There can be long hours of repetitive game play, but you can earn an income of up to $120 an hour. When you are just starting out however, expect to earn $10-$20 an hour.

If you want to get paid to play games online, you need to know where to look for jobs first. That is...

Step 1: Make the right list

Make a list of all the game developers involved in online games (like Blizzard). Once you have a list of 10-20 companies you would like to work for, start visiting their web sites every few days and check for job postings. As soon as you see one, apply immediately---it improves your chances of getting hired.

Step 2: Find out who is charge of hiring

If you can find out who is in charge of hiring the game testers (even before a job is posted) you have the upper hand. Send this person a personalized cover letter and follow up with a call. Let this person know who you are and what your skills are.

You want to emphasize these 3 skills:

1. Good communication skills

2. Attention to detail

3. Patience

You are there to test games, not have fun! Sell them your ability to play long hours and your strong attention to detail. They want you to find bugs!

This next step is only for your FIRST job. You can skip it, but you may lose out down the road...

Step 3: Offer to work for free!

If you offer to work for free, you are more likely to get hired. This will help you get your foot in the door and gain some credibility. Once you have some experience to put on your resume, it will be easier to get hired for your next job.

Besides, you will get paid to play games online eventually! Don't get greedy when you are just starting out. Be willing to work at it a little. If you do a really good job, you will have a get reference to use for your next job.

This last step is meant to get your name remembered and make your application really stand out...

Step 4: Send them a funky letter

Send them a letter with a plastic bug in it. Have the letter read "if you want someone to catch the bugs in your game, then give me a call at..." That would make you stand out and leave a positive impression. It's a bit of humor that emphasizes your selling point---you find the bugs!

Now you know the 4 steps to get paid to play games online. Start looking at company websites regularly, apply, make contact with the person in charge of hiring, and send a unique letter.

Now get out there and get gaming!