One of the primary concerns of any consumer is purchasing something that doesn’t function as it should. It doesn’t matter if it’s an app, a pair of shoes, or a TV; if it doesn’t work, there’ll be a huge problem!
As such, product testing and the workers behind it are crucial to any business’s success. But how do you get there? How to become a product tester?
Getting into this field can be a little tricky, as there are specific qualities that you need to have first.
Luckily, this article will guide you through the essential steps to becoming a product tester, outlining the necessary skills and how you can excel in this role!
An Overview of Product Testing: A Primer
A product tester is an individual who assesses and evaluates a product before it’s released to the public.
Most companies don’t pay product testers but let them enjoy free products or gift cards. Such companies include Influenster and Buzzagent. Some companies offer monetary payments, though, such as UserTesting.
Product testers aren’t limited to a particular field or industry. For example, they can be consumer product testers, such as cosmetics or food, or technology product testers.
The difference between such divisions mainly relies on particular skills and extra knowledge.
Once the worker finishes the product testing, his role shifts to communicating all the necessary information to the company. This includes any flaws found or problems encountered during the testing phase.
The best part about this job is that you don’t have to be in an office or lap to perform it. Most companies prefer a natural setting similar to that which a consumer would be in.
This means you could be getting paid to test products from home or anywhere convenient! It’s also a great option for those with anxiety, as they don’t have to deal with people or stressful environments.
How Much Do Product Testers Make?
As you probably know, the answer to this question differs from one place to another and from one industry to another.
According to Glassdoor, the average product tester earns around $45,000 annually. This is the equivalent of $3,750 monthly or $930 weekly. As a side hustle, this could be one of the best high-rated gig jobs!
What You’ll Need to Become a Product Tester [& Associated Costs]
Now that you know what a product tester is, let’s discuss how much you’ll need to become one!
To be clear, these costs differ from one type of industry to another. Still, you should generally expect the following costs:
A Computer or a Smartphone
In today’s world, almost everything is done via technology. That’s why you’ll need a computer at home or a smartphone—depending on the industry—to fulfill your duties.
A top-notch smartphone could cost anywhere from $400–$1,000, while a desktop can cost around $700–$1,000.
Reliable Internet Connection
A reliable internet connection is the other face of the point above. After all, you can’t send emails, access a website, or download files without a good internet connection! Thankfully, it only costs around $70–$80 monthly.
Workspace Setup (Optional)
When working in the products testing industry, you’ll discover that some companies don’t need you to work from an office. Basically, you can work from home.
But, of course, this means you’ll need a good workplace setup to test without any issues, which can cost you around $1,000–$1,500.
Courses/Training (Optional)
Finally, the best fact about this career is that you don’t need any official certificates or training to get the job. If you want to shine from the crowd, though, you can apply for a certification in a relative field, like quality assurance. This can cost anywhere from $150—$1500.
How Much Does it Cost to Become a Product Tester?
If you combine all the previous costs, you’ll find that becoming a product tester isn’t costly at all. At best, it could cost you around $800; at worst, it could go up to $4,000.
These are all rough estimations, though. So don’t be surprised if you spend more or less than what’s mentioned.
Is it Hard to Become a Product Tester?
Becoming a product tester isn’t necessarily hard, but it isn’t easy either. Similar to other jobs, this requires effort, dedication, and, in some industries, a specific skill set.
The main issue with becoming a product tester is getting into the field itself. Because this job doesn’t require any specific educational qualification, it’s relatively accessible to beginners and anyone who wants to pursue it.
Unfortunately, that can result in a significantly competitive field with many individuals who may have more experience or training than you do.
How Long Does It Take To Become a Product Tester?
Because you don’t need any formal education or certificates, trying to become a product tester shouldn’t take you too long.
Yet, the duration still varies from one person to the next. It can take you just a couple of days to become one or a few months.
It all depends on the résumé you want to build and how much experience you want to earn before officially calling yourself a product tester.
How to Become a Product Tester in 5 Simple Steps
Starting a career as a product tester is, thankfully, not as complicated as you may think. In fact, it’s relatively easy to pursue once you set your mind on the main element: Planning.
Without following a rigorous plan, you could end up wasting a lot of time and effort on irrelevant tasks. So, here’s an outline of what you need to do to become an excellent product tester:
Step 1: Choose Your Interest
Before you take any step, you need to ask yourself this: what do I like? Plus, where would I excel? Answering these two questions is vital, as there are numerous industries out there that can leave you feeling overwhelmed.
Moreover, do you know how many types of product testing exist? Well, according to Indeed, it’s around six!
Product testing isn’t merely a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it’s a detailed process that you can break down into the following categories:
- A/B testing
- Market testing
- User testing
- Concept testing
- QA testing
- Regression testing
Step 2: Develop the Necessary Skills
The irony behind this career is that the factor that made it so accessible,i.e., the unnecessary education, is also why it’s tricky to break into the profession.
You see, without preset knowledge, figuring out what you’ll need to give yourself an edge over the crowds is hard. Still, some skills have proven very useful in product testing.
For starters, there’s attention to detail. This little skill is one of the most crucial to have because your primary role is to find and report any issues.
Another essential skill is adaptability. As a product tester, you won’t repeatedly deal with the same product. Instead, you’ll likely be dealing with a wide range of products, so you’ll need to adapt quickly.
Finally, you’ll need to develop your communication skills. That’s because you’ll need to express yourself clearly and effectively to deliver the right feedback and report any issue.
Step 3: Sign Up for Product Testing and Apply
After deciding what industry to pursue, it’s time to start signing up. Luckily for you, many places offer such opportunities.
You can go on sites such as uTest, Pinecone Research, American Consumer Opinion, or even Survey Junkie.
Another way you can join the product testing industry is by heading directly to a manufacturer’s site. Over there, there’s a chance you’ll find a page to sign up for product testing.
Once you’ve signed up, apply for all the tests that pique your interest.
Step 4: Build Your Portfolio
One of the best ways to prove yourself in a new career is to build your portfolio. You need to apply to as many product testing opportunities as possible to achieve this.
This can help diversify your portfolio, which helps show companies that you’re serious and willing to put in the effort to improve yourself.
You must also maintain professionalism by always meeting deadlines and following instructions. Doing this guarantees that companies return to you for their product testing needs.
Finally, once you’ve established yourself as a trustworthy product tester, start specializing!
Specializing means honing your attention on a specific area. By doing this, you’ll be able to build an even more in-depth portfolio that helps you stand out from the crowd!
Step 5: Test and Provide Detailed Feedback
Finally, to become an excellent product tester, you must provide detailed feedback on everything you test. Fortunately, this is much easier to accomplish than you might think!
The first step you have to follow is thoroughly understanding the product. You don’t want to miss something only because you didn’t read the instructions thoroughly.
After that, you can start tweaking the product, observing, and writing down any changes or improvements you notice.
Lastly, be as specific as possible. Offering vague feedback guarantees you lose the current product testing opportunity and any future one.
Reasons to Consider Becoming a Product Tester
Taking up product testing as a career can be beneficial for several reasons. These include the following:
- Free products: A bonus that many product testers out there enjoy is the free products! You see, after you test the product and write your feedback, you get to keep most, if not all, of the samples.
- Straightforward: One of the most attractive factors about product testing is that you don’t have to pursue any college education or training. It only requires someone with good communication skills and attention to detail.
- Extra income: Taking up product testing as a side hustle can be an excellent way to support yourself. So not only do you keep most of the products, but you get paid as well!
- Flexible workflow: Most product testing opportunities don’t restrict you to a specific schedule or office. It’s the type of work that can be done at night or morning, depending on your preference and schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Amazon Product Testers Get Paid?
Unfortunately, you won’t get any monetary compensation for being an Amazon product tester. They have an invitation-only program called Amazon Vine Program, from which they select specific individuals for that testing. Amazon sends the free product for testing and nothing else.
Does Adidas Pay Product Testers?
Just like Amazon, Adidas doesn’t pay its product testers any money. They offer the product testing opportunity, provide the product for testing, and nothing more. Many people claim to be getting paid, but these are all false rumors.
Similar Gigs to Check Out
If you don’t feel that the product testing industry is the one for you, check out the following gigs:
- How to Become a Secret Shopper: How do you feel about getting paid for visiting stores and shopping around? It sounds made up, right? Well, you better check out our guide here!
- How to Become a Food Critic: If you’re an avid food lover and a critical taster, you’re in luck! Our guide here is your ladder to a better income and a great job!
- How to Become a Video Game Tester: They always said that playing video games is a waste of time. Now, you can start getting paid just to play! Figure out how by checking our article on the topic.
Wrapping Up
Now that you’ve reached the end of the guide, do you know how to become a product tester? We sure hope so!
To give you a quick recap, being a product tester is one of the most accessible careers you can pursue. It doesn’t require any formal qualification, nor does it cost a lot.
The only thing you need is a proper plan to follow and some basic information about the industry you like. Finally, we hope that this guide helped you become the product tester you want to be!
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below.
Does being a product tester have an age limit?