The One Question You’ll See on Every Betabound Application

There’s one important question you’ll need to answer when you’re applying to join one of our private Betabound Exclusive testing opportunities:

“What would make you a good fit to test this type of product?”

While this question might not stand out to you as particularly interesting, it’s actually crucial to our selection process. Believe it or not, our test managers read every single application survey, and how you answer this question can have a significant impact on whether you’re considered for the opportunity.

Why We Ask This Question

This question reveals three things.  First, it gives us an idea of what’s drawing you to this test. Second, it tells us about any unique traits or experiences you might bring to the tester team. Third, it shows us how you communicate. These three pieces of information give us a very good idea of what kind of tester you’re going to be in our test.

What We Look for in Your Answers

This question presents an opportunity for you to show us why you would be a great tester. Our test managers are looking for concise, thoughtful answers from applicants who are genuinely interested in testing products. To make the most of this opportunity to show us your passion, consider the following tips.

Don’t leave it blank

Oftentimes, this question will be optional. This is intentional because it shows us which applicants are willing to go above and beyond basic requirements and which applicants are only going to do the bare minimum. So, even if you’re in a rush, take a moment to put some real thought into this question.

Spelling, grammar, and punctuation all count

Our test managers are looking for people who can communicate clearly and this is your first opportunity to show your communication style. Use this opportunity to show how clear and complete your feedback will be once you’re in the test. In other words: ALL CAPS? OUT. no caps? out. No punctuation out. Badd Spllng. Owt.

Don’t be too brief or too long

A couple of words aren’t going to cut it here, but we aren’t looking for a novel either. A few solid sentences indicate that you put some thought into your answer. If it’s more on the lengthy side, but it’s well written, fits the context, and gets a solid point across — that’s fantastic. On the flip-side, if it’s 14 paragraphs but could easily have been one — trim it down.

Make sure that you actually answer the question

While this may seem obvious, you’d be surprised how easy it is to get off track. This question is your first opportunity to show the test manager that you can follow directions and stay on point, so you should definitely make the most of it.

Be honest

Honesty is always a good thing in testing. This means don’t exaggerate your skills or fib about why you should be picked for a test. We need to trust our testers and the information they’re giving us. If we suspect that you’re not being honest with your responses, that’ll definitely hurt your chances of getting selected for tests.

Remember that the question ends with “…test this type of product?”

Focus your answer on the opportunity at hand and how your personal interests align with the product being tested. While you might not have a lot of information about the product at this point, you’ll at least know the product category and can talk about how you use (or would like to use) those types of products in your everyday life.

Demonstrate enthusiasm. 

Part of the reason we ask this question is to find people who are genuinely interested in the product being tested. So don’t be afraid to communicate your excitement and eagerness to join the test. While we don’t recommend filling your response with lots of exclamation points (because that’s a bit much!!!), do make sure you’ve expressed your enthusiasm for the testing opportunity.

Don’t use the same response every time

We have a lot of exciting opportunities available and chances are you’ll sign up for a ton of tests. Remember, it’s important not to have the same canned response for your application surveys. As we mentioned before, our test managers review every application survey so it is easy to spot certain patterns and word-for-word answers. You don’t want to be remembered for providing the same answer for every test you apply for. It shows us that you’re not serious about being selected.

Our amazing Betabounders are why our clients come back to us over and over again to test their products, so we want to make sure every tester team has the very best candidates. When you come across this question on our application surveys, it’s a good idea to take some time to really think about your answer. It’ll help you stand out and show us how great of a tester you’ll be!

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Look familiar? This post is a part of a series in which we’re breathing new life into some of our older entries.