Career change as an innkeeper
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 7 with on-the-job training and 1 with training or a course.
In the job search you can sort by what matters to you, save jobs and see where they lead.
Career change paths
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Hotel manager
Also: Hotel director
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
In a hotel, you gradually take on further areas such as banquets, reception and housekeeping and can move up to hotel management.
- What you bring:
- You lead a team, calculate food and staff costs, and know guest service, hygiene and events from everyday restaurant work.
- How to get there:
- Hotels often fill management positions with experienced restaurateurs, usually through intermediate steps such as heading food and beverage or banquets. Further training at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), such as certified senior specialist in hospitality (Fachwirt im Gastgewerbe), is helpful but not required.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Often at weekendsPhysically lightLots of contact with people -
Banquet manager
Also: Event manager
With on-the-job training
As a banquet or event manager, you plan events from the first inquiry to the final invoice, in hotels, conference venues or at event agencies.
- What you bring:
- You organize celebrations, conference meals and events and keep staff, kitchen and guests in view at the same time.
- How to get there:
- Hotels, conference venues and caterers hire experienced restaurant managers directly and train them on their booking systems. Depending on the employer, you will still work evenings and weekends, though at agencies and conference venues the hours are often more predictable.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Often at weekendsLots of contact with people€3,497gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of housekeeping in a senior care facility
Also: Head of catering in a hospital
With on-the-job training
In senior care facilities, hospitals or conference venues, you lead catering, cleaning and laundry, usually with fixed day shifts.
- What you bring:
- You know purchasing, menu planning, hygiene and staff deployment from the restaurant business.
- How to get there:
- Providers hire managers from the restaurant business and train them on the job in housekeeping and hygiene regulations. You can gain a formal housekeeping qualification through further training at state technical schools (Fachschulen); the name and entry requirements differ from state to state.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Fixed daytime hours€3,996gross per monthMedian salary
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Field sales representative for restaurant customers
Also: Regional sales manager at a brewery
With on-the-job training
In field sales for a brewery, a beverage wholesaler or a catering wholesaler, you look after restaurants in your region, advise on the product range and promotions, and negotiate supply contracts.
- What you bring:
- You know how restaurateurs calculate, what sells on the menu and which suppliers are reliable.
- How to get there:
- Breweries and wholesalers hire restaurateurs with industry experience and train them over a few weeks in products and sales. A driving license class B is expected. You mostly work during the day, with a lot of driving and sales targets.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Fixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people€4,456gross per monthMedian salary
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Supermarket manager
Also: Branch manager
With on-the-job training
As a store or branch manager in food retail, you are responsible for sales, the team and stock maintenance of a store.
- What you bring:
- You lead staff in shifts, manage goods, tills and key figures, and stay friendly to customers even under pressure.
- How to get there:
- Retail chains also hire managers from the restaurant business and train them on the job in a branch; the length depends on the company. Working hours are more regular than in hospitality, but Saturday work remains usual.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people€4,604gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of customer service
Also: Customer service team leader
With on-the-job training
In the customer service department of a company, you lead a service team, plan assignments and make sure customers are satisfied on the phone or on site.
- What you bring:
- You handle complaints with confidence, lead teams in shift operations and know what makes good service.
- How to get there:
- Companies with large customer service operations hire managers from the restaurant business and train them over a few weeks in products and systems. You mostly work in an office, and depending on the industry, you may have late or weekend shifts.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Physically lightLots of contact with people€7,515gross per monthMedian salary
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Recruitment consultant for hospitality
Also: Staffing dispatcher
With on-the-job training
At a recruitment consultancy or temporary staffing agency, you find specialists for hotels and restaurants, conduct job interviews and look after clients.
- What you bring:
- You know the occupations, working hours and bottlenecks in the restaurant business, and you quickly see who fits into a team.
- How to get there:
- Staffing service providers train industry experts over a few weeks, and courses in labor law help. The work is sales-oriented, often with targets.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Physically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office€4,167gross per monthMedian salary
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Trainer in the hospitality industry
Also: Lecturer for hospitality at a training provider
With further training
In inter-company training centers, hotel schools or at training providers, you teach service and hospitality and prepare people for exams.
- What you bring:
- You know service, beverage knowledge and restaurant procedures and have instructed apprentices in your business.
- How to get there:
- To train apprentices, you need trainer aptitude under the AEVO (Ausbildereignung), which you prove with an exam at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Preparation courses are optional, and their length depends on the provider. For lecturer positions at technical schools, further training such as master craftsperson (Meister) or certified senior specialist (Fachwirt) is often expected.*Regulated by law (Vocational Training Act (BBiG) § 30 and Trainer Aptitude Ordinance (AEVO)).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact€5,075gross per monthMedian salary
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as an innkeeper without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Hotel manager, Banquet manager, Head of housekeeping in a senior care facility, Field sales representative for restaurant customers, Supermarket manager, Head of customer service and Recruitment consultant for hospitality.
Which retraining or further training suits me as an innkeeper?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Trainer in the hospitality industry.
What promotion options do I have as an innkeeper?
Promotions include, for example: Hotel manager.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Head of customer service (€7,515 gross per month), Trainer in the hospitality industry (€5,075 gross per month) and Supermarket manager (€4,604 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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