Career change as a decorator

Career change paths

• Field sales adviser for floor coverings, wallpaper and fabrics

  Also: Regional sales representative for store fittings

  With on-the-job training

  In field sales for manufacturers or wholesalers you advise interior decorators, specialist retailers and architects, present collections and see projects through to delivery.

  What you bring:

  You know materials, colors and how rooms look and feel, and you can present ideas to customers clearly.

  How to get there:

  Manufacturers and wholesalers give designers on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) with product training lasting a few weeks to a few months. You are expected to have a class B driving license and be willing to travel. Look for a permanent position, because as a self-employed commercial agent you usually work on commission only.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €4,456gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Product photographer in online retail

  Also: Image editor in e-commerce

  With on-the-job training

  In online retail you stage and photograph products in the studio, edit images and ensure a consistent look in the shop.

  What you bring:

  You know how to present goods, and you know lighting, composition and styling from the shop window and sales floor.

  How to get there:

  Online retailers and photo studios give career changers with design experience on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in camera, lighting and image editing. Courses on product photography and image editing take a few weeks. Your own sample images matter more in an application than a qualification.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €3,443gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Project manager in trade fair construction

  Also: Event planner

  With on-the-job training

  In trade fair construction or at event agencies you look after customers, plan booths and events, coordinate trades and suppliers, and keep to budget and deadlines.

  What you bring:

  You plan rooms, structures and decoration and work with fixed deadlines and tight set-up times.

  How to get there:

  Trade fair builders and agencies give designers on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in project processes and in calculation and planning software, usually lasting a few months. Around trade fairs and events, you often work evenings and weekends and away from home.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Lots of contact with people

  €4,165gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• CAD planner in store and trade fair construction

  Also: Planner for store fittings

  With on-the-job training

  As a CAD planner you draw floor plans, furniture and structures for stores, trade fair booths or projects, create views and parts lists, and coordinate details with the workshop and assembly.

  What you bring:

  You think in terms of rooms, walkways and sight lines and know how furnishings have to work in everyday life.

  How to get there:

  Store and trade fair builders give designers on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in their CAD software, and courses on common CAD programs take a few weeks. You can earn a recognized qualification through retraining (Umschulung) as technical product designer (Technischer Produktdesigner), which usually takes a little over two years.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €3,821gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Exhibition technician at a museum

  Also: Collection technician

  With on-the-job training

  At a museum or exhibition hall you set up and take down exhibitions, install display cases and lighting, and help with transporting and hanging objects.

  What you bring:

  You set up presentations, handle material carefully and have a good eye for how things look in a space.

  How to get there:

  Museums and exhibition service providers give staff with craft and design experience on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in handling artworks and objects. You can start on project contracts for individual exhibitions or apply for permanent positions.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLittle customer contact
  View job

• Prop master

  Also: Theater decoration department employee

  With on-the-job training

  At the theater, in film or television you obtain and build props and decorations, set them up for rehearsals and performances, and maintain the stock.

  What you bring:

  You build, paint and decorate according to designs, and you work quickly and precisely toward a fixed deadline.

  How to get there:

  Theaters and production companies give decorators and set builders on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in their workshops and processes, often starting with production or seasonal contracts. Evening and weekend work is common.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,987gross per monthMedian salary

  View job

• Department manager in furniture or fashion retail

  Also: Certified senior retail specialist (Handelsfachwirt)

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a department manager you are responsible for the product range, presentation and revenue of your area, plan staff and lead the sales team.

  What you bring:

  You know how goods have to be presented so that they sell, and you know the processes on the sales floor.

  How to get there:

  Some retailers fill department manager positions internally. You can earn a recognized qualification with the further training course for certified senior retail specialist (Handelsfachwirt) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). It usually takes one to two years alongside a job and can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). You are admitted with commercial vocational training and work experience, or with at least five years of work experience in sales or other commercial work in retail.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsLots of contact with people
  View job

• Digital and print media designer

  Also: Advertising materials designer

  With retraining

  As a media designer you design posters, flyers, online banners and social media posts on the computer and prepare files for print and web.

  What you bring:

  You have a sure feel for color, form and effect, and you already bring brand identities to life in physical spaces.

  How to get there:

  You can do retraining (Umschulung) as media designer digital and print (Mediengestalter Digital und Print), which usually takes about two years and can often be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) from the Federal Employment Agency (Arbeitsagentur). A portfolio of your own work and solid knowledge of graphics software help with your application.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

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

  €3,305gross 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.