Toy Testing: The Awesome Career You Didn’t Know Existed!

Contrary to popular belief, toys aren’t only for kids. Believe it or not, there’s an industry out there that actually pays adults to play with toys! Before a new toy reaches the market, it needs to be thoroughly tested by qualified individuals. Hundreds of people work day-to-day in this industry and build satisfying careers from it.  It sounds awesome.  There’s a lot more to know about this super fun career field.  Keep reading to find out more!

You probably won’t run into a toy testing job in the classifieds.  There’s a simple reason for this; toy companies generally don’t heavily promote these positions, as the number of applicants would be overwhelming.  Occasionally, toy testing positions can be found on websites like indeed.com and monster.com.  For those lucky enough to find this job anyway, some even get to keep the toys after the testing period has concluded.  You can bet that their kids have incredible birthday parties.  As with any position of this type, toy testers are often required to perform relevant research to improve their reviews.  This position may be precisely what you’re looking for.  If so, consider contacting major toy companies to inquire about openings.  If you get rejected initially, don’t be discouraged.  Highly-desirable jobs like this often require patience.  Be persistent; eventually, you’ll probably find a way. 

Many toy companies run contests for potential toy-testing applicants, so be sure to look out for relevant information during your research.  For example, toy making giant Fisher-Price held a contest asking applicants to explain why they should get the job in twenty-five words or less.  Keep an eye on the company newsletter to stay up-to-date on such events.  Often, toy companies will host events directed at a specific age group. You’ll have better luck finding such an event if you live near a major urban center, such as New York or Houston.  Some people have landed toy testing jobs through survey companies and contracting agencies, so there are lots of routes to consider.  If you think you’d be a great toy tester, look around and apply!  There could be a fantastic toy testing career out there waiting for you.