Lateral entry into commercial professions: With further training in office, accounting, human resources or SAP

There are commercial professions in almost every industry. Companies need people to organize processes, maintain customer data, process invoices, coordinate appointments, support personnel processes, prepare offers or work with company software. For many people, the commercial sector is therefore an attractive destination for a new career start.

A lateral entry into commercial professions is particularly interesting if you already have professional experience, but your previous tasks no longer match your life situation, your professional goals or the requirements of the job market. Perhaps you have a background in retail, catering, customer service, logistics, the social sector or a longer family phase. Many of these experiences can be put to good use in commercial activities.

To make the switch a success, you usually need up-to-date specialist knowledge and digital skills. Depending on the target area, these include, for example, Microsoft 365, Büroorganisation, Buchhaltung, accounting, DATEV, SAP, Personalwesen, Vertrieb or Projektmanagement. A gezielte Weiterbildung can help you to combine existing experience with qualifications relevant to the job market.

The most important things at a glance

A commercial lateral entry can be useful for people with professional experience from many sectors. Activities in Büroorganisation, processing, Buchhaltung, Personalwesen, Vertrieb, Kundenmanagement, Einkauf, Projektassistenz or SAP Anwendung offer particularly good starting points.

Employers often expect secure digital skills, a basic commercial understanding, a structured way of working and experience with software such as Microsoft 365, DATEV or SAP.

Commercial training can help to build up missing knowledge in a targeted manner and provide a clear justification for a new career start. At alfatraining you will find commercial courses, DATEV Weiterbildungen, SAP user courses, Personalwesen, digitales Büro and other suitable courses.

The courses at alfatraining are AZAV-approved and can be subsidized if personal requirements are met. Bildungsgutschein be subsidized.

What does lateral entry into commercial professions mean?

A lateral entry means that you switch to a new professional field of activity without having completed the traditional training path in this area. In the commercial sector, this can work if you have usable previous experience and supplement any missing knowledge with further training.

Commercial work is varied. It doesn't just involve traditional office work. Depending on the position, it involves organization, communication, numbers, customer contacts, data maintenance, invoicing processes, personnel documents, flow of goods, project coordination or digital systems.

It is therefore important for lateral entry that you formulate your goal as specifically as possible.

The more precise your goal is, the better you can select suitable course content.

Who is a commercial career change suitable for?

A commercial career change can be of interest to many people. It is particularly obvious if you have already taken on tasks related to organization, communication, service or documentation.

Typical starting situations are, for example

• You have worked in retail and would like to move into administration, sales or office organization.
• You come from the catering or hotel industry and have experience in service, coordination and customer contact.
• You have worked in customer service and would like to switch to internal sales, order processing or administration.
• You are returning to work after a family phase and would like to build up your current digital skills.
• You have worked in a job that is no longer physically suitable in the long term.
• You already have office experience but lack up-to-date knowledge of Microsoft 365, DATEV, SAP or digital processes.
• You are unemployed or at risk of unemployment and want to improve your chances on the job market.

The important thing is: a lateral entry should be professionally justified. Further training helps to sharpen your profile and make your applications more credible.

Which commercial professions are suitable for career changers?

Not every commercial career field is equally suitable for every person. Your previous experience, your strengths and your professional goal will determine which path makes sense.

1. office organization and office management

Büroorganisation is a classic entry into commercial activities. It deals with appointments, correspondence, documents, digital filing, communication, simple commercial processes and structured collaboration. This area is suitable if you can organize well, work carefully and enjoy communicating with people. Previous experience in service, administration, assistance, reception, project work or customer contact can be helpful.

2. commercial administration

Clerical work is a broad field. Depending on the company, you will process inquiries, check documents, maintain data, prepare offers, process orders or support specialist departments.

This field suits people who work reliably, accurately and in a structured manner. Digital skills, a good understanding of processes and a confident handling of information are important.

For many career changers, processing is a realistic entry point if the technical basics are clearly demonstrable.

3. bookkeeping and accounting

Buchhaltung und Rechnungswesen are suitable for people who work carefully, enjoy dealing with figures and like clear processes. Among other things, this involves documents, posting records, invoices, open items, payment processes, evaluations and tax basics. It can be particularly useful if you already have commercial experience or would like to develop into a number-oriented career field.

4. human resources

Personalwesen combines organization, communication and legal basics. Typical tasks may include personnel documentation, applicant management, onboarding, payroll accounting, personnel development or administrative HR processes. This area suits people who enjoy working with people and can document accurately at the same time. Experience in team coordination, customer contact, assistance, consulting or administration can be a good basis.

5. sales, customer management and order processing

If you enjoy communicating and have experience in dealing with customers, the commercial field of Vertrieb or customer management may be of interest. This involves dealing with inquiries, offers, orders, advice, complaints, data maintenance and interfaces with other departments. Previous experience in retail, service, the hotel industry, call centers, technical customer support or field service can be very useful.

6. SAP application in the commercial sector

SAP is used in many larger companies. SAP knowledge in financial accounting, controlling, sales or other business processes can be relevant for commercial activities. SAP knowledge is particularly useful if you are applying for jobs in which SAP or ERP systems are explicitly mentioned. It does not replace professional experience, but can make your profile much more concrete. alfatraining offers SAP Anwenderkurse in commercially relevant areas such as financial accounting, controlling and sales.

Commercial training with Bildungsgutschein

If you are unemployed, at risk of unemployment or would like to improve your career prospects by gaining qualifications, you may be eligible for funding via Bildungsgutschein be possible. During the consultation, Agentur für Arbeit will check whether the further training is necessary and whether the personal requirements are met. The funding decision is always made by Agentur für Arbeit.

How do you justify the lateral entry in the consultation?

A clear explanation is important for the interview with Agentur für Arbeit. The desire for an office job is usually not enough. A comprehensible plan that combines your experience, your goal and the job market is better.

Helpful questions to prepare:

• What professional experience do you have?
• What commercial tasks have you already taken on?
• What area would you like to work in?
• Which job advertisements match your goal?
• What requirements do you already meet?
• What skills are you still lacking?
• What further training would close this gap?

Example of a justification:

"I have worked in customer service for several years and would like to work in internal sales or commercial administration in the future. Suitable job advertisements require a sound knowledge of Microsoft 365, digital Büroorganisation and commercial basics. I would like to build up this knowledge through further training in order to improve my chances of finding employment subject to social security contributions."

Another example:

"I have organizational experience and would like to switch to accounting. The basics of financial accounting, DATEV and digital accounting processes are often required for suitable positions. Further training in Buchhaltung mit DATEV would complement my profile professionally and support my goal in a comprehensible way."

Which courses at alfatraining are suitable for a commercial career change?

Which further training makes sense depends on your goal. At alfatraining, the following course areas, among others, are suitable for a commercial career change:

Digital Office and Microsoft 365

digitale Bürokompetenzen is particularly important for starting out in Büroorganisation, assistance, administration or clerical work. You will learn how to use modern office software safely, structure information and organize digital workflows.

Commercial basics

Kaufmännische Grundlagen help you to better understand operational processes. This may include topics such as business administration, accounting, office processes, communication and organization.

Bookkeeping and DATEV

If you want to work in accounting, financial accounting or payroll accounting, Buchhaltungskenntnisse and DATEV are particularly relevant.

SAP user courses

SAP user knowledge can be helpful for jobs in larger companies. At alfatraining there is SAP Kurse in commercially relevant areas such as financial accounting, controlling or sales.

Human resources

Knowledge of personnel management, recruiting, wages and salaries, employment law basics and digitaler Personalarbeit are useful for starting out in HR activities.

Project management and quality management

If you have organizational experience and would like to work in Projektassistenz, process coordination or interface functions, Projektmanagement and quality management can be suitable additions.

Why alfatraining is suitable for a commercial career change

A career change requires orientation. You need to assess what knowledge you already have, what qualifications you lack and which course suits your goal. alfatraining supports you with personal advice and a wide range of commercial courses.

Experience in continuing professional development
alfatraining has been active in vocational training for over 20 years. For participants, this means that you learn from an experienced provider with professional processes.

AZAV-approved courses
The courses offered by alfatraining are AZAV-approved and can be funded by Bildungsgutschein if the requirements are met.

Commercial course variety
The range of courses includes Büroorganisation, bookkeeping, accounting, DATEV, controlling, SAP Anwenderkurse, Personalwesen and digital working.

Live lessons with a lecturer
Lessons take place at live. Our lecturers explain content and software applications, answer questions and accompany exercises.

Learning in the home office or Bildungszentrum
Depending on the course and your personal situation, you can learn from home or at Bildungszentrum. You are connected to your course group and teacher via alfaview.

Modular further education
All courses can be customized kombinieren. This allows you to create a training plan that suits your goal and your previous knowledge.

Full-time or part-time: which is better?

Whether full-time or Teilzeit makes sense depends on your personal situation. Full-time may be suitable if you want to qualify quickly and have enough time to learn. Part-time may make sense if you are looking after children, caring for relatives or need a reduced daily study schedule for other reasons.

Get advice on which teaching option suits your goal, your everyday life and possible funding conditions.

FAQ: Lateral entry into commercial professions

Can I switch to an office job without commercial training?

A change may be possible if you have the right previous experience and can build up any missing commercial and digital skills. Further training can make your profile much clearer for job applications.

Which commercial training makes sense for career changers?

That depends on your goal. Digital office, Microsoft 365, commercial basics, Büroorganisation, Buchhaltung, DATEV, SAP, Personalwesen, Vertrieb, Projektmanagement or quality management are often useful.

Is accounting suitable for lateral entry?

Buchhaltung Accounting can be suitable if you work carefully, like numbers and want to systematically familiarize yourself with accounting, financial accounting and digital accounting processes.

When is DATEV useful?

DATEV is particularly relevant if you want to work in bookkeeping, financial accounting, payroll accounting or accounting. Many jobs in these areas require corresponding software knowledge.

When is SAP knowledge useful?

SAP knowledge is useful if suitable job advertisements mention SAP or ERP systems. This may be the case, for example, for jobs in financial accounting, controlling, sales or order processing.

Can I do further commercial training with Bildungsgutschein?

Yes, if the individual requirements are met and Agentur für Arbeit approves the further training. The measure and the provider must be approved.

Are the commercial courses at alfatraining eligible for funding?

The courses at alfatraining are AZAV-approved and can be funded by Bildungsgutschein.

Is part-time possible?

Many commercial training courses are offered at different times. You should clarify in the consultation whether part-time is suitable for you and can be funded.

Does alfatraining help with course selection?

Yes. alfatraining will advise you free of charge on suitable courses, possible combinations, learning formats and information for your interview with Agentur für Arbeit.

Would you like to make a new start in business?

Let alfatraining advise you free of charge and find out which further training suits your goal. Together, you can check whether a course at Büroorganisation, Buchhaltung, DATEV, SAP, Personalwesen or Vertrieb makes sense for your career change.

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