Looking to switch careers but don’t know where to start? Eliana Goldstein has been there. And now, she’s here to help. After years working in the corporate world, Eliana swapped career tracks, launching her own career coaching business — and soon becoming a CareerTok staple.
Like many creators — and like many of her 218K Instagram and 69K TikTok followers — Eliana’s career trajectory hasn’t been a straight line, to say the least. She admits that she never intended on becoming a content creator, but rather fell into content creation after using Instagram as a marketing tool. The rest is CareerTok history.
On Instagram and TikTok, Eliana brings her career coaching services to a global digital audience. Through helpful videos and infographics, she provides her followers with all the advice they need to navigate the modern job market, whether she’s showing them how to write job-winning CVs or helping them figure out when to jump ship.
We sat down with Eliana to learn about her journey into content creation, her best monetization strategies, and how she boosts her audience engagement. Let’s dive in!
How did you get into content creation?
I don’t think I ever had the intention of becoming a content creator. I began my career as a [career] coach, and prior to that I had worked in sales and marketing for nearly a decade.
When I started coaching, I had to figure out the best way to market myself in order to get new clients, so I started promoting myself on Instagram. My following grew slowly across two or three years and I had a few videos go viral. I soon realized that content creation was a great avenue to bring in new clients, secure brand deals, and gain other opportunities. As my following continued to grow, so did my engagement. And that sort of brings me to where I am now! Today, I’m still very much a coach, but I’m also a content creator.
Why did you choose to focus on career content as your niche?
After working in the corporate world for years, I had felt misaligned with my career. On paper, everything looked great, but I just wasn’t where I wanted to be long-term, so I went on a journey of self-discovery. After a lot of reflection, research, and networking, I became a certified professional coach, which I turned into a side hustle before eventually going full-time.
My past experience definitely influenced the type of coaching I wanted to do: working with people who have perfect careers on paper, but might not feel connected with what they do professionally. Because I’d been through that process myself, I knew I could help others do the same. My sales background also helped me immensely; knowing how to network and present my ideas to others was important. In the past, friends would always come to me for résumé advice, and now I’ve been coaching full-time for almost four years!
What opportunities have you gained through content creation?
Through content creation, I’ve gained so many exciting press and media opportunities, like being interviewed for my local TV news station. That opportunity was very cool because they found me through social media. On top of that, I’ve also been invited to partake in a number of speaking engagements, which I love.
There are so many ways to make money as a creator. How do you monetize your content?
There are a few different ways I monetize my content. First is my coaching. I have group programs and offer 1:1 coaching sessions. Then, I also have a series of online courses like The Career Upgrade and The Salary Accelerator. I also earn income from brand partnerships.
From an income perspective, my digital products are one of my smaller income streams. I make more money from my group programs and 1:1 coaching, whereas my digital courses alone probably bring in somewhere between $30,000 to $40,000 annually.
Why did you start selling digital products?
I believe that our time is the most valuable thing that we have. So I’ve never wanted to put myself in a position where in order to make a lot of money, I would have to coach as many people as possible and burn myself out in the process. Online courses are the most scalable way to help a lot of people while earning an income.
Can you tell us about the process of creating your digital products?
It’s been very organic in the sense that I started creating courses based on what I felt my audience needed. For example, I had a video go viral that was all about “wanting to quit your job but having no idea what to do instead.” So I created a mini-course called The Career Clarity Finder with the purpose of helping people figure out which career paths would be a good fit for them. I priced it at only $47 to ensure that it was accessible for everyone.
When creating digital products, the most important thing to consider is your audience’s pain points. Then you’re able to create a product that addresses those pain points and that your audience will be willing to pay for.
Want to sell your own mini-course? We have a tool for that! The Leap’s AI-powered digital product builder can help you create a mini-course in minutes. Try The Leap for free today.
How do you avoid burnout as a content creator?
The pressure to post every day and to be consistent can be overwhelming. I try to take the pressure off by reposting content or posting static content. I’m really big on setting boundaries for myself, and if I don’t feel like posting content at a certain time, I just won’t.
How do you engage with your audience?
I try to respond to DMs as much as possible. I know some other content creators don’t seem to do that, but I’m always happy to take the time to answer quick questions.
Besides, I also engage with my audience a lot through Instagram Stories and polls, and by using the Q&A feature.
Finally, any words of advice for aspiring content creators?
Just start! Try it out and don’t care about what other people will think.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Photo: Courtesy of Eliana Goldstein
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