Career change as a HR administrator
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 5 with on-the-job training and 3 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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Payroll clerk
Also: Payroll accountant
With on-the-job training
In payroll you calculate wages and salaries, report contributions to health insurance funds and wage tax to the tax office, and clarify employees' questions.
- What you bring:
- You maintain master data, working hours and contract changes that flow directly into payroll, and you know the interface to payroll accounting.
- How to get there:
- Take a payroll course at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or a training provider. It usually takes a few months and can be done alongside a job. You also get on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in the payroll software. The switch often works within your own company. Payroll specialists work in companies, tax firms and at payroll service providers.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office€4,010gross per monthMedian salary
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Recruitment consultant
Also: Staffing coordinator
With on-the-job training
In recruitment or temporary agency work you look for suitable candidates, hold selection interviews, look after client companies, and plan assignments.
- What you bring:
- You know job postings, application documents, types of contract and labor law basics from HR work.
- How to get there:
- You start at a personnel services provider with a few weeks of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung). Sales and cold calling are often part of the job there. Later, alongside your job, you can take the further training course for certified senior specialist for personnel services (Personaldienstleistungsfachwirt) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office€4,046gross per monthMedian salary
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Social insurance specialist (Sozialversicherungsfachangestellte)
Also: Contribution clerk at a health insurance fund
With on-the-job training
At a health insurance fund or pension insurance provider you check contributions and entitlements, advise insured people and employers, and process applications.
- What you bring:
- You know social insurance reporting, incapacity for work, maternity protection and parental leave from the employer's point of view.
- How to get there:
- Health insurance funds also hire employees with commercial training and experience in HR for their contribution and corporate customer areas and train them in-house in social insurance law. The recognized qualification for this is social insurance specialist (Sozialversicherungsfachangestellte), a three-year vocational training (Ausbildung).*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office€3,964gross per monthMedian salary
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Consultant for HR software
Also: HR IT consultant
With on-the-job training
As a consultant for HR software you set up systems at companies, adapt processes and permissions, train users, and help with errors.
- What you bring:
- You work every day with HR and time recording systems and know the processes a software has to map.
- How to get there:
- You can start as a key user in your own company and then switch to software vendors or consultancies, with product training lasting a few weeks to a few months. Vendor certificates improve your chances. Willingness to travel and an interest in technology are expected, and some consultancies require a university degree.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an officeHome office possible€5,568gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of office
Also: Office manager
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
As office manager in a small or medium-sized company you run the whole administration, including HR topics, lead assistants, and take care of service providers and equipment.
- What you bring:
- You organize processes, documents and appointments reliably and know the rules around employees, contracts and data protection.
- How to get there:
- You get there by switching employers or through an internal promotion, with on-the-job training (Einarbeitung), especially in smaller companies that combine HR and office administration. The further training course for certified senior specialist for office and project organization (Fachwirt für Büro- und Projektorganisation) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) strengthens your application and can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications).*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office€4,450gross per monthMedian salary
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HR officer
Also: HR business partner
With further trainingPromotion
As an HR officer you look after employees and managers independently, manage hires and departures, advise on labor law, and work with the works council.
- What you bring:
- You know employment contracts, personnel files, deadlines and the questions employees ask from daily casework.
- How to get there:
- Alongside your job, you can take the further training course for certified HR specialist (Personalfachkaufmann) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). It can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications). With commercial training you are admitted after two years of work experience in HR, with other training after three years, and without a qualification after five years. By the last part of the exam you also need the trainer aptitude certificate (Ausbildereignung). Some HR officer jobs require a university degree, but employers also take commercial specialists with experience.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office€5,147gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of HR
Also: Team leader HR
With further trainingPromotion
As head of HR in a small or medium-sized company you are responsible for the whole HR area, advise the management, lead the team, and negotiate with the works council.
- What you bring:
- You know all the processes of personnel administration from hiring to departure and know where mistakes have legal consequences.
- How to get there:
- You usually get there through the further training course for certified HR specialist (Personalfachkaufmann) and several years as an HR officer, often starting as a deputy. In smaller companies, promotion works through experience and further training, while corporations usually expect a university degree for heads of HR.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office€7,885gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of training
Also: Personnel development officer
With further trainingPromotion
As the person responsible for training you plan training in the company, select apprentices, organize further training and support employees in their development.
- What you bring:
- From personnel administration you know training contracts, deadlines, chambers and further training applications, and you are the contact for many employees.
- How to get there:
- To be responsible for training, the Vocational Training Act requires you to pass the trainer aptitude exam (Ausbildereignungsprüfung) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). The preparation course takes a few weeks and can be done alongside a job. For personnel development, the further training courses for certified HR specialist (Personalfachkaufmann) or certified trainer in vocational and continuing education (Aus- und Weiterbildungspädagoge) fit afterward. Larger companies also fill such jobs with university graduates.*Regulated by law (§ 30 Vocational Training Act (BBiG), Trainer Aptitude Ordinance (AEVO)).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contact€5,147gross 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 HR administrator without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Payroll clerk, Recruitment consultant, Social insurance specialist (Sozialversicherungsfachangestellte), Consultant for HR software and Head of office.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a HR administrator?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: HR officer, Head of HR and Head of training.
What promotion options do I have as a HR administrator?
Promotions include, for example: HR officer, Head of HR, Head of training and Head of office.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Head of HR (€7,885 gross per month), Consultant for HR software (€5,568 gross per month) and HR officer (€5,147 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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