Career change as a psychologist
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 1 right away, 6 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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Market researcher
Also: Market research analyst
Start right away
In market and opinion research, you plan studies, evaluate surveys and group discussions and derive recommendations for companies.
- What you bring:
- You master questionnaire design, statistics and qualitative interviews.
- How to get there:
- Market research institutes and companies hire psychologists with methods training directly and teach them their software and their clients. Knowledge of statistics software and good English are an advantage.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible€6,403gross per monthMedian salary
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HR development specialist
Also: Business coach
With on-the-job training
In HR development, you plan trainings, leadership programs and feedback procedures or support managers as a coach.
- What you bring:
- You know motivation, learning, communication techniques and group dynamics and can assess behavior on a sound basis.
- How to get there:
- Companies hire psychologists, especially from work and organizational psychology, for HR development. For coaching, a coaching training helps, and its length depends on the provider. Experience in companies helps you get in.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightHome office possible€5,147gross per monthMedian salary
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Aptitude assessment specialist
Also: Recruitment consultant
With on-the-job training
As an aptitude assessment specialist or recruitment consultant, you develop selection procedures, run assessment centers and advise companies on filling positions.
- What you bring:
- You master test procedures, interviews and diagnostics and can judge suitability on a sound basis.
- How to get there:
- Recruitment firms and HR departments hire psychologists for diagnostics and selection and train them in their procedures. You earn a license for aptitude assessment under the DIN 33430 standard by passing an exam, and courses prepare you for it. It is not required everywhere.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€5,500gross per monthMedian salary
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UX researcher
Also: Usability engineer
With on-the-job training
As a UX researcher, you study how people use software, websites and devices and help developer teams make products easier to understand.
- What you bring:
- You know perception, cognition and empirical methods such as interviews, observation and experiments.
- How to get there:
- Software companies, agencies and large companies hire psychologists for user research. Courses on UX methods and tools help, and the length depends on the provider. A small portfolio with your own studies helps with your application.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an officeHome office possible€4,893gross per monthMedian salary
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Consultant for workplace health management
Also: Consultant for mental stress at work
With on-the-job training
In workplace health management or at occupational safety service providers, you carry out risk assessments (Gefährdungsbeurteilungen) of mental stress and develop measures with companies.
- What you bring:
- You know stress, strain and mental health and can analyze working conditions systematically.
- How to get there:
- Companies, health insurance funds and external occupational health services hire psychologists. Courses on occupational safety and workplace health management help, and the length depends on the provider. You work in an advisory role, not a therapeutic one.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people -
Organizational consultant
Also: Change manager
With on-the-job training
As an organizational consultant, you support companies and administrations with restructuring, team development and culture change.
- What you bring:
- You understand how people react to change and can facilitate team and group processes.
- How to get there:
- Consulting firms and internal departments for organizational development hire psychologists with facilitation experience. Further training in organizational development alongside work helps, and the length depends on the provider. If you are self-employed, you need references and a network.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€6,768gross per monthMedian salary
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Student counselor
Also: Learning coach
With on-the-job training
In the student counseling service of a university, you advise prospective and current students on choosing a course of study, learning problems and thoughts of dropping out.
- What you bring:
- You can advise people in decision-making and crisis situations and understand learning and motivation.
- How to get there:
- Universities hire psychologists for general or psychological student counseling and train them in higher education law and procedures. Further training in counseling helps you get in.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€4,521gross per monthMedian salary
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Mediator
Also: Business mediator
With further training
As a mediator, you help resolve conflicts in companies, teams, families or neighborhoods.
- What you bring:
- You can structure conversations, recognize conflicts and lead those involved to their own solutions.
- How to get there:
- You complete a mediation training, and its length depends on the provider. You may call yourself a certified mediator (zertifizierter Mediator) only after a course of at least 130 hours of in-person instruction and five supervised mediations. You can combine mediation with counseling or coaching.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people€7,208gross 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 psychologist without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: HR development specialist, Aptitude assessment specialist, UX researcher, Consultant for workplace health management, Organizational consultant, Market researcher and Student counselor.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a psychologist?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Mediator.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Mediator (€7,208 gross per month), Organizational consultant (€6,768 gross per month) and Market researcher (€6,403 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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