So, you’ve finished your yoga teacher training and now you’re ready to embark on the exciting and fulfilling journey of landing your first job as a yoga instructor.
From personal experience, I can tell you that this is not easy and requires quite a bit of effort and energy. If you’re one of the brave ones who is ready to set out on a job hunt, allow me to share with you my top tips for securing your first job.
1. Define Your Teaching Style and Specialization
Most of us are trained in multiple styles of yoga. When it comes to the highly competitive industry of yoga, you need to decide what you’re going to focus on so that you can stand out.
Choose Your Style
When I first started out, I had vinyasa, yin, ashtanga, hatha, and aerial yoga in my back pocket. Even though I thought this would give me a competitive edge, it turned out that I was pretty average in all of them instead of being really good in one of them.
Unfortunately, you can only become a true master of something when you practice it consistently. And I don’t know about you, but my busy life did not allow me to become the master of 5 different styles when I was just starting out. So, look at what you really enjoy doing or what type of style you utilise the most in your personal practice, then start teaching that style. Don’t overthink this one. You can always change it.
Choose an Industry
This is something that no one teaches you in yoga school. I thought I was going to teach everyone – pregnant, old, young, two-legged, four-legged, furry, or bold. It didn’t matter, as long as my classes were full. I soon realised that this made me blend into the crowd, which made it very difficult to get a job. So, I decided to look at my other skills to see which industry I could excel in.
I’m qualified as a nutritionist and health expert – so, it made sense for me to teach classes within the health and wellness industry that allowed me to incorporate my knowledge of the body into my classes. Maybe you’re good with animals – try out animal-centred yoga where people bring their pets. Or maybe you enjoy kids – try out kid’s yoga or parent-kids sessions. Allow yourself to experiment and have fun!
2. Expand Your Network
I landed my first yoga job through a friend of a friend. Do not underestimate the power of word of mouth or meeting random people at random places.
Attend Yoga Workshops and Conferences
Even if you don’t meet anyone at these events, you’ll learn a lot about what the yoga industry is focusing on and looking for. This allows you to cater your classes and yoga style to what is needed, which makes you more likely to land a job. Keep up with the latest trends, while remaining true to yourself and your uniqueness.
Connect with Yoga Studios and Teachers
Just because you’re a qualified instructor does not mean you are exempt from going to yoga classes. I’ll be honest – I had a bit of a superiority complex when I finished my training. I believed that I knew everything about yoga.
Unfortunately, this caused my practice to stagnate, because I was no longer being pushed out of my comfort zone. Also, when you go to classes on a regular basis and demonstrate your incredible skills, others take notice. The best way to get opportunities is to simply embody that which you want to become.
Volunteer or Assist
Although this is not an official job, it does count as experience, which means A LOT in the yoga industry. Karma yoga, which is yoga you offer out of the goodness and generosity of your heart, is highly regarded in the yoga community.
I’ve been offered many opportunities by participating in NGO and charity events or simply getting a group together and offering a class for free. If that’s not your style, you can simply ask your local yoga teacher whether they need help around the studio. If you want people to know about you, you need to put yourself out there – even if it is for free.
3. Learn How to Sell Yourself
No matter what you might have heard about selling, you are selling something or yourself every single day. You talked your significant other into making you a cup of coffee? You just sold him on doing something he otherwise wouldn’t have.
Your sister asked you to babysit in exchange for a dinner evening at her house? She just used the old I’ll do this if you do this tactic. Selling comes down to packaging your services in a way that it’s a no-brainer for people to say yes. Anybody can do it and the better you get at it, the better jobs you’re likely to land.
Have a Unique Offering
Why should they hire you? Go back to the point of choosing an industry. This is really where your uniqueness can shine. Perhaps you teach kids how to do math by incorporating yoga sequences. Or you help the elderly gain flexibility, which give them more freedom of movement.
Whatever skills you have – package them and sprinkle a bit of glitter on it to really make it stand out. Just remember not to make empty promises or to create something that absolutely no one will be interested in. Do some research.
Educate Yourself
Educate yourself on the etiquette of the yoga industry. This includes how to dress, walk, talk, and behave. This doesn’t mean changing who you are, it simply means adjusting in order to meet the necessary standards.
You need to treat finding a yoga job just like any other job. The yoga community is big on kindness and gentleness. Make sure that you’re making those around you feel safe and that you’re approaching prospective employers or clients with an attitude of, “how can I best serve you”, instead of “what can I get from you.”
Improve Your Body Language
Roll your shoulders back, lift your head, and look at people in the eyes. Confidence speaks much louder than words and people respond to your energy more profoundly than how you look or sound. Educate yourself on the concept of rapport and mirroring.
Building rapport is essential in any interaction, since it allows the person to relax and open up in your company. Mirroring refers to reflecting a person’s body language back to them, which allows a person to feel comfortable around you.
This doesn’t mean you copy their every move. It simply means that you stay present and pick up on their non-verbal cues.
Share Your Teaching Philosophy
Be open and honest about why you became a yoga teacher. Vulnerability can take you far in life because it reveals who you truly are. More than that, it takes great courage to express your beliefs and values.
I’ve had beautiful experiences where I learned that others shared my perspective on yoga and the impact it’s had on our lives. Take some time to reflect on this one and remember to only share what you feel is necessary.
Create a Teaching Video
This is a great way to refer someone to your teaching abilities without you having to demonstrate or offer a class. Simply film a video with your phone where you do a short flow, upload to any social media platform and share it with prospective employers.
4. Gain Experience and Exposure
No one can hire you if they can’t find you. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the whole world knows you’re a yoga teacher and are coming to beg you to offer your services. This is not how it works, trust me. You have to put yourself out there.
Offer Community Classes and Workshops
I offered runner’s specific yoga to my local running club a few years ago. This was super fun and allowed us to cultivate a community where everyone kept each other accountable and were able to improve their running technique and injuries.
I offered these classes on a local sport’s field. So, really, you don’t have to make this one overcomplicated. The point is to let people know that you have awesome skills and are ready to share them.
Have an Online Presence
This can be anything from a social media page to a YouTube channel to a website. Personally, I don’t have any of these, but many yoga teachers do.
I opted for the strategy of getting onto professional platforms, such as YogaTrade and Yoga Jobs All Over the World where I could upload a profile and be connected with potential employers and opportunities. Choose whatever suits your unique needs.
Collaboration and Partnerships
Collaborate with other wellness professionals, such as massage therapists, nutritionists, or wellness coaches, to offer joint workshops or events.
These partnerships can expand your reach and attract potential opportunities.
5. Back Yourself!
Even though there are many things you can (and need to) do in order to land your first yoga instructor job, the only thing that is non-negotiable is courage. Be brave and allow yourself to fail. If you don’t get a job on the first go – that’s okay.
The more you try, the more confident you’ll become. Back yourself and know that fortune favours the brave. Best of luck fellow yogi.
