She was Playboy's Playmate of the Month for September 1997 which is credited for getting her noticed for acting roles. She graced the cover twice, first in August 1997, then in July 2003, along with a feature pictorial.

Prior to Playboy, she was a known swimwear model usually seen modeling for Venus Swimwear and Frederick's of Hollywood. On July 4, 1997 she married Ian Ziering. After four years of marriage, Ian filed for divorce on February 28, 2002. She converted to Judaism before marrying Ian. Ziering went by the name Nikki Schieler before marrying Ian; since their marriage in 1997, she has gone by the name Nikki Ziering.

She also appeared as a Barker's Beauty on the game show The Price Is Right, from 1999 to 2002.

In the Summer of 2005 she appeared in the British reality television series Celebrity Love Island, where she had a fling with British actor Paul Danan. Their relationship made headlines in the British Press after the couple shared a bed together in the resort, leading to rumours and speculation that they had sex. The rumours have neither been confirmed nor denied by Ziering or Danan.

In 2006 Ziering became a sideline reporter for the CBS tournament blackjack series Ultimate Blackjack Tour.