When I say "digital products," most people think, "Ah! Online courses and eBooks." But digital products are so much more than that. In fact, there are many better yet simpler digital products you can create and sell, especially if you're an HR or career professional.
The good news is that you don't have to waste months creating an online course you're not sure anyone will buy. Instead, you can create simpler digital products in just a few days or weeks. (This is especially true if you use done-for-you templates, which you'll find in this post.)
For context, I created my first digital product in 2018 and I've been collecting digital product ideas ever since. This list of 23 simple digital product ideas for HR and career professionals includes some of the most profitable ones.
If you're a recruiter, resume writer, or career coach, this post is a goldmine of ideas for you. For each idea, you'll get the exact information on what it is, who it is for, the typical price range, and a shortcut to a done-for-you product for commercial use where available.
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Why Sell Digital Products
The big question is, why should you consider selling digital products?
Wells, one of the main reasons is that as an HR professional, recruiter, resume writer, or career coach, you already have the expertise that millions of people need. Whether you decide to create products for companies (business-to-business, BCB) or for individuals (business-to-consumer, B2C), with digital products you can make an impact at scale.
That's the altruistic, selfless reason behind selling digital products.
On a more personal level, here's why: Selling digital products is the only way to separate your time from your earnings.
Unlike services and coaching programs, revenue from digital products isn't tied to your work hours. Plus, without physical items, shipping, or overhead costs, digital products offer high profit margins, meaning you keep most of your earnings.
Sounds like a dream, right? The only thing is that this one is 100% doable and realistic. (Check out my journey with digital products to get inspired.)
Now, let's explore some simple digital product ideas to see how you can make this happen.
Simple Digital Products HR and Career Professionals Can Sell Online
Digital products include much more than just online courses, apps, and software. You don't need coding skills or recording talent to create amazing products your customers will love.
Here are some simple(r) digital products you can make:
Now, let's make this more specific.
Checklists
First off, checklists. These are handy lists of tasks or items a customer needs to tick off to make
sure they don't miss anything important.
Here are a few checklists you can create.
1. Resume Checklist
The first digital product idea on the list is a resume checklist. It's a step-by-step, actionable list designed to help job seekers create a professional resume without skipping any key steps. Depending on the desired complexity, you can create a simple one-pager or a multi-page guide and price it accordingly.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~4-20 hours
Average price range: ~$10-$50
Example: Done-For-You Resume Checklist
2. Hiring Checklist
A hiring list designed to ensure all necessary steps are covered in the hiring process is a much-needed B2B digital product. Craft and design a checklist for HR professionals and small business owners who want to streamline their hiring process and ensure they're doing everything right.
You can make it short and simple or longer and comprehensive and tailor your prices to the solution you created, taking into consideration your customer needs.
Target audience: HR professionals and small business owners (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~15-25 hours
Average price: ~$20-$75
Templates
Templates are ready-made documents or files that customers can easily customize, saving them the hassle of starting from scratch.
Check this list for inspiration.
3. Resume and Cover Letter Templates
A resume and cover letter are essential tools every job seeker needs. That's why professionally designed templates for resumes and cover letters are a great digital product idea. They are always in demand as people are constantly job hunting and looking to make a strong impression.
Pro tip: Pair them with a resume writing guide and editing manual to provide comprehensive support and a great user experience to your buyers.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~20-40 hours
Average price: ~$10-$100
Want to sell more than one resume template? Give yourself a head start with the resume shop starter kit or one of the commercially licensed resume bundles.
4. Job Search Email Templates
Job seekers often need guidance on how to communicate effectively with potential employers. Job search email templates can serve as a lifeline, offering polished, professional messages for various stages of the job search journey.
These templates provide a helpful framework for crafting the perfect cold outreach email, following up after an interview, or negotiating an offer. As such, they're a simple yet highly in-demand digital product.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~10-40 hours
Average price: ~$10-$100
5. HR Policy Templates
All companies need HR policies that meet industry standards. Yet not all know how or have a dedicated HR department to create them. HR policy templates simplify this process by providing a solid foundation on which companies can build.
These templates cover essential areas such as employee conduct, benefits, remote work guidelines, and more. They help businesses establish clear, consistent, and compliant policies.
Target audience: HR professionals, small business owners (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~40-120 hours
Average price: ~$100-$1000
6. Interview Templates
Interview templates are a great resource for streamlining the interview process. They provide structured question lists, evaluation forms, and scoring systems to cover all bases, ensuring consistent and effective interviews and making hiring fair and efficient.
Target audience: HR professionals, hiring managers (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~80-360 hours
Average price: ~$50-$500
Trackers & Dashboards
Trackers and dashboards are tools that help customers monitor their progress or important data, often with real-time updates and visual displays.
Here are some ideas you can use for inspiration.
7. Job Application Tracker
Want to help job seekers stay organized throughout their job search? Create and sell a job application tracker. This digital product offers a user-friendly way to keep tabs on all job applications, interviews, follow-ups, and more.
It helps users manage the often chaotic process of job hunting with features like customizable fields, reminders, and status updates.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~20-40 hours
Average price: ~$10-$50
8. Networking Tracker
Similarly to the job application tracker, a networking tracker is a practical and simple digital product idea. Done right, it should offer a user-friendly way to keep tabs on all connections, follow-ups, and relevant notes.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~20-40 hours
Average price: ~$10-$50
9. Recruitment Dashboard
A comprehensive recruitment dashboard or employee onboarding dashboard is a game-changer for HR teams. From tracking candidate progress to consolidating key recruitment metrics and processes into one centralized platform, these dashboards allow efficient management of recruitment activities and offer visual analytics that help in making data-driven decisions.
Target audience: HR departments, recruitment agencies (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~40-120 hours
Average price: ~$100-$500
10. Employee Onboarding Tracker
An employee onboarding tracker is a much-needed HR tool. This digital product should guide new hires through their first days, tracking tasks like paperwork, training sessions, and introductions while allowing HR professionals to track their progress. This tool ensures nothing is overlooked, providing a smooth and organized start for employees.
Target audience: HR professionals, small business owners (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~40-120 hours
Average price: ~$100-$500
Email Courses & Challenges
11. Interview Preparation Email Course
Delivered in bite-sized, actionable emails, an interview prep email course includes daily tips and exercises covering everything from mastering common interview questions to understanding body language and follow-up strategies. Ideally, it should be short, actionable, and just a few days or weeks long, and priced accordingly.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~20-60 hours
Average price: ~$15-$50
12. Remote Work Productivity Email Challenge
Remote work is here to stay. But many people still need help making the most of it. Tap into that market with a series of daily emails designed to help remote workers boost their productivity.
Create and sell a remote work productivity challenge via email for 14 to 30 days, offering daily tips and strategies to help remote workers maximize efficiency and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Target audience: Remote workers, team leads (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~25-80 hours
Average price: ~$30-$100
13. Legal HR Insights Newsletter
Staying on top of the latest legal regulations impacting the workplace is tough. To make it easier, you can create and sell a subscription-based newsletter offering insights on HR legal matters. Each month, you could provide HR professionals with up-to-date information on employment law, compliance issues, and best practices, to keep them informed.
Target audience: HR professionals, business owners (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~10-30 hours monthly
Average price: ~$5-$30/month
14. Post-Layoff Email Course
You can offer an email course to help individuals navigate their career path after a layoff. Send emails over a set period of time, like 14 or 30 days, offering practical support and actionable guidance, covering topics like dealing with emotions, job searching, and financial planning.
Target audience: Recently laid-off professionals (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~25-80 hours
Average price: ~$15-$50
Workbooks
Workbooks are actionable guides full of exercises and activities designed to help your customers learn something new or reach a specific goal.
Here are a few ideas you can create and sell:
15. Job Search Strategy Workbook
Want to create a digital product to support job seekers? Create and offer a workbook with exercises and strategies for an effective job search. Ideally, the job search strategy workbook should be a comprehensive guide to help job seekers develop a tailored plan for their job search with practical tools and tips to help them along the way.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~40-120 hours
Average price: ~$25-$100
Example: Job Search Strategy Workbook to Resell
16. Resume Writing Workbook
If you're looking for a simple yet highly profitable digital product idea, a resume writing workbook is the go-to option. The goal? Create a workbook that assists job seekers in crafting impactful resumes that stand out to employers. Offer step-by-step instructions, tips, and examples to help users highlight their skills and experience effectively.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~40-120 hours
Average price: ~$25-$100
Example: Resume Writing Workbook to Resell
17. New Manager Workbook
Help first-time managers with a workbook filled with practical exercises and actionable tips. This simple digital product should equip first-time managers with essential skills and knowledge, covering leadership, communication, and team management, helping them transition smoothly into their new roles.
Target audience: New managers (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~40-120 hours
Average price: ~$25-$100
Toolkits
Toolkits are collections of resources and tools bundled together to give your customers everything they need to tackle a project or task.
Here are some toolkit ideas you can create as an HR or career professional.
18. Job Application Toolkit
Some people prefer a DIY approach instead of hiring a resume writer or a career coach. You can still support them through a job application toolkit, a one-stop resource for job seekers that provides templates and tips for resumes, cover letters, and follow-up communications.
Target audience: Job seekers (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~80-240 hours
Average price: ~$50-$250
19. Layoff Emergency Toolkit
Support laid-off employees with a set of resources and tools designed to help them navigate their careers after a layoff. Create and sell a layoff toolkit offering essential resources and guidance on financial planning, job search strategies, and mental health resources for those facing sudden job loss.
Target audience: Laid-off professionals (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~40-160 hours
Average price: ~$50-$250
20. Performance Review Toolkit
When it comes to performance reviews, everyone needs a bit of guidance. That's why a performance review toolkit—a set of templates and guides to help managers conduct effective performance reviews—is a great digital product idea. The toolkit should include templates for feedback, goal-setting, and employee assessments to help managers conduct fair and effective performance evaluations.
Target audience: HR professionals, managers (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~40-160 hours
Average price: ~$150-$500
21. Startup HR Toolkit
Supporting startups? Consider offering a startup HR toolkit—a set of resources for new businesses with essential HR documents, templates, and tools covering everything from hiring processes to employee policies. This digital product should include essential resources startups need to establish strong HR foundations from day one.
Target audience: Startup founders, HR professionals (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~80-200 hours
Average price: ~$300-$1000+
Workshops & Webinars
22. Salary Negotiation Workshop
One thing most people struggle with? Salary negotiation. If you want to support job seekers and working professionals in earning more money, a pre-recorded salary negotiation workshop is your winning digital product idea. Cover preparation, actionable negotiation techniques, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Target audience: Job seekers and professionals (B2C digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~20-25 hours
Average price: ~$50-$100
23. Employer Branding Basics Webinar
Most companies need the fundamental know-how to build a positive and recognizable employer brand. If that's your area of expertise, you can put together a short yet actionable, 60-minute webinar that teaches companies, HR, and marketing professionals how to build a strong employer brand to attract top talent.
Target audience: HR and marketing professionals, business owners (B2B digital product)
Estimated time to create: ~20-40 hours
Average price: ~$50-$250
Key Takeaway: Simple Digital Product Ideas for HR and Career Professionals
With your HR or career expertise, you can create highly profitable digital products. If you're creating your first one, keep it simple. Pick one of the ideas from the list and start building your first digital product. You've got this!