Career change as a waiter
With your experience you can switch to 9 jobs in Germany: 5 with on-the-job training and 4 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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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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Banquet manager
Also: Conference and banquet planner, Event assistant
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
In banquet and event planning you organize all of this in advance with customers and the kitchen.
- What you bring:
- You have worked at celebrations, conferences and banquets, and you know what matters for the schedule, drinks and guest wishes.
- How to get there:
- You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the banquet department of a hotel or at a caterer, 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€3,497gross per monthMedian salary
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Receptionist
Also: Hotel front desk employee
With on-the-job training
At the reception you need exactly this at check-in, check-out and on the phone.
- What you bring:
- You deal with guests in a friendly way every day, even when it gets hectic, take requests and complaints, and settle bills at the cash desk.
- How to get there:
- You get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) at the reception and in the hotel software, usually lasting a few weeks. English skills are almost always expected.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Often at weekendsShift workPhysically lightLots of contact with people€3,034gross 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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Flight attendant
With training or an exam
What is new are mainly the safety and emergency tasks, for which you are trained.
- What you bring:
- Service under time pressure in a tight space, friendly dealings with guests and selling food and drinks are part of everyday life on board.
- 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
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 a waiter without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Restaurant manager, Banquet manager, Receptionist, Field sales representative for the catering trade and Bartender.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a waiter?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Flight attendant, Train conductor, Cook and Office management clerk (Kaufmann für Büromanagement).
What promotion options do I have as a waiter?
Promotions include, for example: Restaurant manager and Banquet manager.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Field sales representative for the catering trade (€4,456 gross per month), Restaurant manager (€3,956 gross per month) and Office management clerk (Kaufmann für Büromanagement) (€3,810 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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