Career change as a hotel specialist (Hotelfachmann)

Career change paths

• Front office manager

  Also: Head receptionist (Empfangschef), Rooms division manager

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  As head receptionist or front office manager you plan shifts, lead the reception team, and manage occupancy and guest satisfaction.

  What you bring:

  You know check-in, reservations, complaints, cash closing and hotel software from every shift.

  How to get there:

  This is an internal promotion through shift leadership or the deputy role, usually after a few years. For management jobs, training as hotel specialist (Hotelfachmann) is usually expected. Alongside your job, the further training course for certified senior specialist in hospitality (Fachwirt im Gastgewerbe) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or the technical college course for state-certified hotel business administrator (staatlich geprüfter Hotelbetriebswirt) helps. Both can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically lightLots of contact with people
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• Travel consultant

  Also: Tourist information employee

  With on-the-job training

  In a travel agency, at a tour operator or in the tourist information office you advise on trips and offers and book services.

  What you bring:

  You know booking systems, reservations and guests from many countries, and you like giving tips about the city and region.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in booking systems and offers, usually lasting a few weeks. Foreign languages and experience from the hotel industry are valued. For travel agencies, a qualification as tourism clerk (Tourismuskaufmann) is usual, which is a three-year vocational training (Ausbildung).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,291gross per monthMedian salary

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• Event assistant

  Also: Conference and banquet coordinator

  With on-the-job training

  In event planning you organize conferences, celebrations and events from the first inquiry to billing.

  What you bring:

  You coordinate guest wishes, rooms, departments and schedules and keep track of everything even when groups arrive.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the banquet or event department of a hotel, often starting as an assistant. If you want a qualification, you can do retraining (Umschulung) as event management clerk (Veranstaltungskaufmann), which usually takes two years.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Lots of contact with people

  €3,438gross per monthMedian salary

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• Reception employee in a company

  Also: Reception staff in healthcare

  With on-the-job training

  At the reception of a company, clinic or gym you do similar work, often with more regular working hours.

  What you bring:

  You welcome guests in a friendly way, answer phones, manage appointments and stay in control even when it is busy.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) on site, usually lasting a few weeks. Experience from the hotel reception and foreign languages are welcome. Reception jobs in companies are also filled through service providers.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,518gross per monthMedian salary

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• Office manager

  Also: Executive assistant to the managing director

  With on-the-job training

  As an assistant you organize appointments, trips, meetings and correspondence for the management or a team.

  What you bring:

  You handle many requests at the same time, write emails in several languages and stay discreet and reliable with guests.

  How to get there:

  With hotel training and foreign languages, you can start with on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), for example as a team assistant. Without a commercial qualification, retraining (Umschulung) as office management clerk (Kaufmann für Büromanagement) helps. It usually takes two years and can often be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,810gross per monthMedian salary

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• Rental customer service employee

  Also: Rental agent at serviced apartments

  With on-the-job training

  In rental you look after prospective tenants and tenants, hold viewings and process contracts, for example at housing companies or apartment providers.

  What you bring:

  You know reservation systems, occupancy planning, check-in and dealing with complaints.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at a housing company, property management firm or serviced apartment provider, usually lasting a few weeks. If you work in a property management firm directly on managing rental apartments or condominiums, you must complete legally required further training: 20 hours in three years. You can earn a qualification through vocational training (Ausbildung) as real estate clerk (Immobilienkaufmann), which takes three years.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,940gross per monthMedian salary

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• Hotel accounting employee

  Also: Income auditor

  With on-the-job training

  In hotel accounting you check revenues, post invoices and prepare figures for monthly closings.

  What you bring:

  You do daily closings, settle cash and card payments, and know invoices and payment methods from everyday hotel life.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the accounting department of a hotel or hotel group, often via the night shift with the night audit. A financial accounting course, usually lasting a few weeks to a few months, makes the switch easier.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,010gross per monthMedian salary

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• Hotel revenue manager

  Also: Revenue analyst

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  In revenue management you set prices and quotas, watch the market and manage occupancy.

  What you bring:

  From reservations you know booking channels, rates, cancellations, and how demand varies by weekday and around trade fairs.

  How to get there:

  You usually get there through the reservations department and internal on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), supplemented by seminars or certificate courses in revenue management. Good Excel skills and a feel for numbers are required. Hotel chains partly prefer applicants with a hotel business administration qualification (Hotelbetriebswirt) or a university degree.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office
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• Restaurant manager

  Also: Restaurant operations manager

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  As restaurant manager you plan shifts, lead the team, and are responsible for guests and revenue.

  What you bring:

  You know every process in service, from setting tables to billing, and know how to run a full house.

  How to get there:

  You move up within the business through station and service management. Alongside your job, you can take the further training course for certified senior specialist in hospitality (Fachwirt im Gastgewerbe) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), which requires work experience.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people

  €3,956gross per monthMedian salary

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• Field sales representative for the catering trade

  Also: Commercial agent for beverages

  With on-the-job training

  In field sales for a brewery or beverage wholesaler you advise exactly these businesses.

  What you bring:

  You know restaurants, beverage ranges and the concerns of innkeepers from daily work.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the manufacturer or wholesaler, usually lasting a few weeks to a few months. A class B driving license is almost always required.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people

  €4,456gross per monthMedian salary

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• Bartender

  Also: Barista

  With on-the-job training

  At the bar or in the coffee bar you mix cocktails, prepare coffee specialties, and are responsible for drink quality and order at the counter.

  What you bring:

  You know drinks, the cash register system and guest contact, and you keep track of things during rush periods.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the business, often supplemented by bar or barista courses from private providers lasting a few days to a few weeks. Evening and night work are common at the bar, while in the café early and day shifts are more usual.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €2,857gross per monthMedian salary

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• Head of laundry services

  Also: Operations manager of a laundry

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  In the management of a large laundry or textile service you plan staff and production, steer routes and quality, and look after major customers.

  What you bring:

  You know laundry cycles, textile care, hygiene requirements, and what hotels, clinics and homes expect from clean laundry.

  How to get there:

  The management of laundry services in clinics, homes or hotel groups is often taken over by experienced housekeeping managers, who get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in machines, washing processes and hygiene certification. For the operations management of a commercial large laundry, the way in usually leads through shift or production management, and depending on the business, a master qualification in the textile cleaning trade or in home economics, or a technician qualification, is then expected.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift work

  €4,062gross per monthMedian salary

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• Hygiene adviser for institutional catering

  Also: Auditor for food hygiene

  With on-the-job training

  As a hygiene adviser or auditor you check kitchens, canteens and facilities, create hygiene concepts based on the HACCP principle, train staff, and prepare businesses for official inspections.

  What you bring:

  You implement hygiene plans and self-checks, know cleaning, disinfection and food hygiene, and instruct employees.

  How to get there:

  Courses in hygiene management and auditing at chambers, associations and testing organizations usually take a few days to a few weeks. After that you get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at a consulting company, caterer or association. A master or technical college qualification in home economics or the food sector and experience in commercial kitchens are usually expected. Business travel is common.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €4,905gross per monthMedian salary

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• Kitchen manager in institutional catering

  With on-the-job training

  As kitchen manager in homes, clinics, canteens or schools you plan menus and staff, order goods, and ensure compliance with hygiene regulations.

  What you bring:

  If you are also responsible for catering in a care or educational facility, you know menu planning, diets, hygiene rules and cost of goods.

  How to get there:

  Homes and communal kitchens often fill kitchen management positions with cooks, but also with master craftspeople in home economics or experienced housekeeping managers. On-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in kitchen technology and production processes usually takes a few weeks to a few months. Experience in commercial kitchens clearly improves your chances.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,913gross per monthMedian salary

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• Buyer for hotel and clinic supplies

  Also: Purchasing clerk

  With on-the-job training

  In the purchasing department of a hotel group, a clinic network or a building service provider you negotiate with suppliers, put framework agreements out to tender, and monitor deliveries.

  What you bring:

  You order cleaning agents, laundry and consumables, compare quotes, and know which quality holds up in everyday use.

  How to get there:

  You switch to purchasing with on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), usually lasting a few weeks to a few months. A commercial qualification is often expected. 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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• Flight attendant

  With training or an exam

  On board, you also handle safety tasks, cabin service and first aid.

  What you bring:

  You look after guests from all over the world in a friendly and confident way, also at night, on weekends and in stressful situations.

  How to get there:

  You do basic training at an airline, usually lasting a few weeks, with an exam for the cabin crew attestation (Flugbegleiterbescheinigung). You also need an aviation medical examination and good English.*Regulated by law (Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, Annex V (Part-CC)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,307gross per monthMedian salary

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• Train conductor

  Also: Customer service employee in local transport

  With training or an exam

  On the train, you also handle ticket checks, announcements and tasks at departure.

  What you bring:

  You are used to working on your feet and on the move, answering questions in a friendly way, and staying calm even with difficult guests.

  How to get there:

  You qualify at the railway company, which usually takes a few weeks to a few months, with an exam and a medical fitness examination. Shift work (Schichtdienst) and weekend duty are part of the job.*Regulated by law (Railway Construction and Operating Regulations (EBO) §§ 47, 48).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people

  €3,568gross per monthMedian salary

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• Cook

  With retraining

  In the kitchen you also learn the preparation itself.

  What you bring:

  You know the processes between kitchen and service, hygiene rules, allergens and the time pressure during rush periods.

  How to get there:

  You do vocational training (Ausbildung) as a cook, which takes three years, or usually two years as retraining (Umschulung), and can often be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLittle customer contact

  €3,058gross per monthMedian salary

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• Office management clerk (Kaufmann für Büromanagement)

  With retraining

  In the office you use these organizational skills for orders, appointments and invoices, usually at fixed times of the day.

  What you bring:

  You take orders, settle bills, keep many things in view at the same time and stay friendly in customer contact.

  How to get there:

  You can do retraining (Umschulung) as office management clerk (Kaufmann für Büromanagement), which usually takes two years and can often be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,810gross per monthMedian salary

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• Head of building services

  Also: Head of economic and supply services, Head of facility management

  With further trainingPromotion

  As head of building or supply services you are responsible for several areas such as cleaning, laundry, catering and building technology, manage budgets, and put services out to tender.

  What you bring:

  You plan staff and cleaning processes, check quality, order material and work with service providers.

  How to get there:

  You usually get there after several years in property or housekeeping management and with part-time further training. Good options are, for example, the technical college for nutrition and supply management (state-certified business administrator, two years full-time, partly also alongside a job) or courses in facility management at chambers and private providers. Recognized further trainings can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). Admission to the technical college is regulated by the state, usually requiring a vocational qualification and work experience.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLittle customer contact
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• Trainer for home economics at a training provider

  Also: Practical skills teacher for home economics

  With further trainingPromotion

  As a trainer at a vocational training center (Berufsbildungswerk) or training provider you prepare apprentices and retraining students for the exam in home economics, and at vocational schools you teach the practical skills.

  What you bring:

  You guide employees, explain work steps and hygiene rules, and check the results.

  How to get there:

  To train others you need the trainer aptitude certificate (Ausbildereignung), which you prove in an exam at the responsible body. Preparation courses are optional, and the master craftsperson exam in home economics includes a corresponding part. Training providers usually expect the master qualification in home economics or a technical college qualification. For practical skills teachers at vocational schools, the states have their own rules, often with additional teacher training.*Regulated by law (Vocational Training Act (BBiG) § 30, Trainer Aptitude Ordinance (AEVO); state law for teachers at vocational schools).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLittle customer contact

  €5,075gross 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.