Career change as a certified accountant (Bilanzbuchhalter)

Career change paths

• Property manager

  Also: Real estate accountant

  With on-the-job training

  At a property management company, you create utility cost and condominium fee statements and budget plans, monitor rents and reserves and can later look after whole properties as a manager.

  What you bring:

  You work confidently with accounts, accruals and statements and know payment transactions and dunning.

  How to get there:

  You are trained at a property management company or a housing company, usually for a few weeks to months in management software and tenancy and condominium law. Anyone who directly takes part in managing condominiums or rental apartments for third parties at a property management company must complete 20 hours of further training within three calendar years under § 34c of the Trade Regulation Act (GewO). This does not apply to managing a housing company's own stock. Later, the upgrading course for certified real estate senior specialist (Geprüfter Immobilienfachwirt) is possible alongside work.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,940gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• ERP consultant for financial accounting

  Also: IT business analyst for accounting

  With on-the-job training

  As a consultant for financial software, you set up systems at companies, adapt them to their procedures, train users and help with errors and conversions.

  What you bring:

  You know booking logic, charts of accounts and closing processes and know where accounting software gets stuck in everyday work.

  How to get there:

  You can start as a key user in your own company, then move to software companies or consulting firms, with product training of a few weeks to months. Vendor certificates improve your chances. Willingness to travel and interest in technology are expected, and some consulting firms require a degree.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €5,568gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Credit controller

  Also: Credit management case officer

  With on-the-job training

  In credit management, you check customers' creditworthiness, set credit limits, monitor open receivables and negotiate when there are payment problems.

  What you bring:

  You know receivables, payment behavior and dunning and can read business partners' balance sheets and figures.

  How to get there:

  This is usually an internal move from accounts receivable with on-the-job training. Courses on credit management alongside work take a few weeks to months. Positions exist mainly in larger companies, in wholesale and at credit insurers.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an officeHome office possible

  €5,219gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Payroll accountant

  Also: Payroll and salary bookkeeper

  With on-the-job training

  In payroll, you calculate wages and salaries, report contributions to health insurance funds and wage tax to the tax office (Finanzamt) and answer employees' questions.

  What you bring:

  You work precisely, know the booking of wages, taxes and social contributions and keep deadlines reliably.

  How to get there:

  You take a course in payroll and salary accounting at a Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or a training provider, usually a few months and also possible alongside work, plus on-the-job training in the payroll software. Payroll specialists work in companies, tax firms and at payroll service providers.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,010gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Accounting lecturer in adult education

  Also: Instructor for further training

  With on-the-job training

  As a lecturer at training providers, chambers or adult education centers (Volkshochschulen), you teach bookkeeping, cost accounting and software, for example in retraining courses (Umschulungen) or exam preparation.

  What you bring:

  You master bookkeeping, financial statements and accounting software from practice and can explain connections clearly.

  How to get there:

  Entry is often alongside work on a fee basis, and permanent positions exist mainly at larger training providers. Practical experience and sometimes a higher qualification such as balance sheet accountant are expected. The trainer aptitude certificate (Ausbildereignung) or further training for adult education provides teaching basics.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,254gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Management consultant

  Also: Restructuring consultant

  With on-the-job training

  At a consultancy, you support companies with restructuring, cost reduction, buying and selling, or building finance processes.

  What you bring:

  You can read figures quickly, spot weak points in companies and back up your findings clearly.

  How to get there:

  Consultancies and the consulting divisions of audit firms hire experienced auditors and controllers and train them internally in consulting methods. Expect project work and travel.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €6,768gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Lecturer in tax law and accounting

  Also: Lecturer in courses for balance sheet accountants

  With on-the-job training

  At chambers, technical schools and training providers, you prepare adults for exams such as certified balance sheet accountant (Bilanzbuchhalter), certified tax specialist (Steuerfachwirt) or controller.

  What you bring:

  You can explain accounting, tax law and controlling with real cases.

  How to get there:

  Chambers and training providers engage experienced practitioners as lecturers, often on a freelance basis first, alongside their main job. A course in adult education can help, and its length depends on the provider. Whether there are permanent positions depends on the training provider.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,075gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Financial analyst

  Also: Analyst for company acquisitions

  With on-the-job training

  As an analyst, you value companies, acquisition targets and financing for banks, investors or investment companies.

  What you bring:

  You can evaluate financial statements, spot risks and assess the value of a company.

  How to get there:

  Banks and investment companies hire auditors with experience in transactions or valuation, and certificates in financial analysis help. The workload can be high during transactions.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €6,570gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• IT auditor

  Also: IT audit specialist

  With on-the-job training

  As an IT auditor, you check access permissions, interfaces and data security of financial and ERP systems and advise on weak points.

  What you bring:

  You audit control systems systematically and know how bookkeeping and closing depend on IT systems.

  How to get there:

  Audit firms and internal audit departments train auditors with an interest in IT. For certificates such as the CISA, you pass an exam and also need several years of work experience in IT auditing, control or security. You should bring basic knowledge of databases and ERP systems.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €4,656gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Compliance manager

  Also: Money laundering prevention officer (Geldwäschebeauftragter)

  With on-the-job training

  As a compliance manager or money laundering prevention officer, you make sure at banks, insurers or companies that rules are followed, and you report suspected cases.

  What you bring:

  You know control systems, internal policies and audits and can assess risks soberly.

  How to get there:

  Banks and companies train experienced auditors on the regulations of their industry. Courses to become a compliance or money laundering prevention officer usually take a few days to a few weeks. At banks, the supervisory authority checks that you are professionally suitable for this function.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €7,039gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Head of financial accounting

  Also: Team lead in accounting

  With further trainingPromotion

  As head of accounting, you lead the team, are responsible for monthly and annual financial statements, payment transactions and liquidity planning and are the point of contact for management, banks and auditors.

  What you bring:

  You master ongoing bookkeeping, reconciliations and closing work and know the questions of tax advisers and auditors.

  How to get there:

  You usually get there through the upgrading course for certified balance sheet accountant (Geprüfter Bilanzbuchhalter), about 1.5 to 2 years alongside work and eligible for funding through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). With a three-year commercial training, you are admitted directly, otherwise after five years of practice mainly in finance and accounting. In small and mid-sized companies, heading accounting without a degree is common, while in large groups a degree is more often expected.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €8,334gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Tax officer (Finanzwirt)

  Also: Case officer at the tax office (Finanzamt)

  With vocational training

  At the tax office, you process tax returns of companies and private individuals, check information and receipts and assess taxes.

  What you bring:

  You know bookkeeping, VAT and annual financial statements from practice and work precisely according to regulations.

  How to get there:

  You complete the preparatory service (Vorbereitungsdienst) for the mid-level civil service in tax administration, usually 2 years, with pay during the training. Admission is usually with an intermediate school certificate, or with a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) and vocational training. Age limits and hiring dates differ by federal state, and some tax offices also hire employees under a collective pay agreement (Tarif) with commercial training.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,615gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.