Career change as a cashier

Career change paths

• Cashier supervisor

  Also: Head of checkout, Senior sales assistant in retail

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  As cashier supervisor you assign the registers, clarify cancellations and problem cases, and settle up at the end of the day.

  What you bring:

  You know the cash register system, cash closing and rush periods first-hand, and you know where discrepancies arise.

  How to get there:

  This is an internal promotion in the retail company, with on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), often supplemented by in-house training. Completed vocational training in retail improves your chances.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift work
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• Customer adviser in customer service

  Also: Customer hotline employee

  With on-the-job training

  In customer service by phone, chat or email, this is exactly the main task.

  What you bring:

  You stay friendly when the checkout is full or someone complains, and you clear up complaints and questions directly.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the company, usually a few weeks of training in products and software. Career changers are common in this area.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Shift workPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an officeHome office possible

  €2,819gross per monthMedian salary

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• Receptionist

  Also: Reception employee at a hotel

  With on-the-job training

  At the hotel reception, you also handle check-in, reservations and information.

  What you bring:

  You handle cash, card payments and the cash register system confidently and are used to serving many guests one after another in a friendly way.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the hotel, usually lasting a few weeks. English skills are almost always expected, and shift work (Schichtdienst) is common. With vocational training (Ausbildung) as hotel specialist (Hotelfachmann), which takes three years and is often shortened with work experience, more hotels are open to you.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,034gross per monthMedian salary

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• Post office branch employee

  Also: Counter clerk

  With on-the-job training

  Letter and parcel services and simple financial services are new.

  What you bring:

  At the counter you work as you do at the checkout, with cash, card payments and cash closing, and you serve customers in quick succession.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the branch, usually lasting a few weeks, with training in products, rates and cash rules.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Lots of contact with people

  €3,044gross per monthMedian salary

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• Nursing assistant

  Also: Nursing aide

  With on-the-job training

  In nursing assistance this calm in dealing with people is important; you learn the nursing skills on the job.

  What you bring:

  You deal every day with very different people, including older customers who need help, and you stay patient.

  How to get there:

  You can start as a nursing aide with on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), often with a basic nursing course of a few weeks. From 2027, training as nursing specialist assistant (Pflegefachassistenz) will exist nationwide and take 18 months full-time. It replaces the previous nursing helper and nursing assistance trainings of the states.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demandingLots of contact with people

  €3,296gross per monthMedian salary

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• Reception employee

  Also: Receptionist at a gym, Receptionist at a car dealership

  With on-the-job training

  At the reception of a gym, car dealership or company you greet visitors, take calls and appointments, and take payments or issue badges.

  What you bring:

  You serve many people one after another in a friendly way, take payments confidently, and keep track of things even when it is busy.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the employer, usually lasting a few weeks. English is required less often here than in a hotel. At the reception of doctor's practices, training as a medical assistant (Medizinische Fachangestellte) is usually expected.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,518gross per monthMedian salary

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• Customer adviser in a travel center

  Also: Employee in the customer center of a transport company

  With on-the-job training

  In the travel center or customer center of a transport company you also advise on connections and subscriptions, and clarify complaints.

  What you bring:

  You sell tickets, take payments, and explain offers and fares to customers.

  How to get there:

  You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in fares, the sales system and customer service, usually lasting a few weeks. Railway and transport companies hire career changers with cash desk or sales experience for this. Shift work (Schichtdienst) and weekend work are common.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office

  €3,568gross per monthMedian salary

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• Salesperson

  Also: Retail clerk (Kaufmann im Einzelhandel)

  With retrainingPromotion

  With a recognized qualification in sales, you also take on advice, merchandise presentation and ordering.

  What you bring:

  Ringing up sales, exchanges and customer questions are already part of your everyday work, and you know the product range and processes in the store.

  How to get there:

  You do vocational training (Ausbildung) as salesperson (Verkäufer, two years) or retail clerk (Kaufmann im Einzelhandel, three years), often shortened with work experience, also as retraining (Umschulung). Without training you can be admitted to the final exam at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) under § 45 para. 2 BBiG if you have worked in the occupation for one and a half times the training period, so three years for salesperson and four and a half years for retail clerk. The IHK decides whether your time at the cash desk counts. Advice, merchandise care and orders should have been part of your tasks.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people

  €2,900gross per monthMedian salary

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• Medical assistant (Medizinische Fachangestellte, MFA)

  With retraining

  You learn medical knowledge, billing and assisting with examinations during the training.

  What you bring:

  At the reception of a doctor's practice, as at the checkout, what matters is serving many people one after another in a friendly and precise way, also under time pressure.

  How to get there:

  You do vocational training (Ausbildung), which takes three years and is often shortened with work experience, or retraining (Umschulung), which usually takes about two years and can often be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsLots of contact with people

  €3,270gross per monthMedian salary

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• Office management clerk (Kaufmann für Büromanagement)

  Also: Office clerk

  With retraining

  In the office you need this care for invoices, filing, appointment planning and correspondence.

  What you bring:

  You work precisely with figures and receipts, balance cash registers and stick to fixed processes.

  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). The regular vocational training (Ausbildung) takes three years.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €3,810gross per monthMedian salary

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• Department store detective

  Also: Store detective

  With further training

  Store detectives observe the sales floor, approach suspects, and document incidents.

  What you bring:

  At the checkout you see how shoplifting and fraud at payment or returns work, and you know the processes in the store.

  How to get there:

  To protect stores against shoplifters on behalf of a security or detective service, you must pass the expertise exam under § 34a GewO (Sachkundeprüfung) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Preparation courses usually take a few weeks and can partly be funded through an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein).*Regulated by law (§ 34a Trade Regulation Act (GewO), Security Services Ordinance (BewachV)).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekendsShift workLots of contact with people

  €3,283gross 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, help with disruptions and tasks at departure.

  What you bring:

  You sell and check tickets, handle cash and card payments, and give information in a friendly way.

  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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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.