Career change as a bookkeeper

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

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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

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• Purchasing clerk

  Also: Purchasing dispatcher

  With on-the-job training

  In purchasing you collect quotes, order, compare prices and clarify delivery dates.

  What you bring:

  From accounts payable you know suppliers, invoices, payment terms and the typical differences between order and delivery.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in purchasing, often starting as a clerk, usually lasting a few weeks to a few months. An internal switch within the same company can be the easiest way. Later, you can take part-time further training in purchasing at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,200gross per monthMedian salary

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• 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

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• Controller

  Also: Cost accountant

  With further trainingPromotion

  In controlling, you plan budgets, evaluate costs and revenues, create reports and forecasts and show the management where the company needs to steer.

  What you bring:

  You know accounts, cost centers and closing figures precisely and work confidently with spreadsheets and accounting software.

  How to get there:

  An internal move from accounting is possible, at first with reporting and cost accounting. The upgrading course for certified controller (Geprüfter Controller) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) is possible alongside work and eligible for funding through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You are admitted with three-year commercial training and three years of work practice related to controlling tasks, although some controller jobs are advertised for people with a degree.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible

  €5,576gross per monthMedian salary

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• 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

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• Tax assistant (Steuerfachangestellte)

  Also: Accountant in a tax firm

  With retraining

  In a tax firm you do the bookkeeping for different clients, prepare payroll, and prepare tax returns and closings.

  What you bring:

  You know account assignment, value-added tax and accounting programs from the company.

  How to get there:

  Tax firms also hire experienced accounting staff directly for client bookkeeping. The recognized qualification is vocational training (Ausbildung) as tax assistant (Steuerfachangestellte), which takes three years, or usually about two years as retraining (Umschulung). The Chamber of Tax Advisers (Steuerberaterkammer) is responsible for the exam. Later you can take the further training course for certified senior tax specialist (Steuerfachwirt).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,710gross per monthMedian salary

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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.