So, you say you want to become a toy tester to help shape the future of toys? Or maybe you are just an overwhelmed parent who wishes someone would throw some toys her way to help distract her screaming children. Regardless of your reason for wanting to become a toy tester, the opportunities are out there. You just have to find them.

Toy-testing positions are not well-advertised. If they were, toy companies would be besieged by millions of consumers vying for the available spots. But you can still find news of job openings if you do your homework. MySpace maintains a list of available positions in the toys category, with the option of searching by city, state, or zip code to narrow down the results. (See the link in Resources.) You can also visit craigshelper.com, careerbuilder and monster.com. all of which post notices of toy-industry jobs from time to time.

A second option is to contact or visit toy companies or stores in your area and inquire about toy-testing opportunities. Small businesses may be looking for someone to test their products and possibly help promote them as well. Some toy stores also hire people to come in and work as toy testers while customers are browsing about. They do this to help drum up business and create buzz about particular toys. You can visit or call these stores and offer your services as a toy tester or promoter. Bear in mind, however, that larger toy companies may not want to be bothered, and you may often walk away empty-handed. Try to stay upbeat and realize that a job as a toy tester does not come easily.

The last option you have for becoming a toy tester is to apply to companies that do market research, focus testing and/or surveys . When a toy company is looking for insight or toy testers, it will often outsource opportunities to these market-research companies. The website Volition has a list of survey and focus-group companies that provide legitimate opportunities at no charge. While none of these companies can guarantee that you will receive a survey or toy-testing opportunity, you will certainly never get the chance if you don't sign up.