New RYT? How to Get Your First Job Teaching Yoga

As a new yoga teacher, you’re likely filled with excitement. You’re ready to lead a class and looking forward to teaching this beneficial practice to each student. But the question is: how do you get your first yoga teaching job? 

Fortunately, there are several ways to begin your career as a yoga instructor. Here are a few strategies to consider.

Do a Yoga Teacher Job Search

Many yoga studios and fitness companies post their open teacher positions online. That makes this a good place to look for your first yoga job. 

Indeed is one of the most well-known job search platforms. Just enter the job title and keyword, along with your desired location, and you’ll be presented with the openings in your area. For the most expansive list of results possible, search with different phrases. Two to try are “yoga teacher” and “yoga instructor.” Each one returns slightly different results.

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When looking for a yoga teaching job, it’s important to find one that would be a good fit for you. Depending on what you’re looking for, it can be helpful to consider these factors:

• Location. Unless you plan to teach yoga online, you’ll want a teaching job within your local vicinity. Decide in advance how far you’re willing to travel for the position. Then, look for teaching jobs within your target area.

• Whether it’s full or part-time. Are you looking for a full-time position teaching yoga or is this more of a side gig? If you want to teach part-time, you may want to modify your search to include contract positions. Independent yoga teachers also typically set their own hours, so this is an option if you want more flexibility over your work schedule.

• Rate of pay. While money isn’t everything, you want a teaching job that enables you to live. Glassdoor indicates that the average yoga instructor in the U.S. makes $60,084 per year. (1) That said, pay can vary based on a variety of factors. Among them are your level of education and experience. Generally, if you’re just starting out, you’re likely to make less than the average. Just don’t sell yourself too short in terms of pay or it doesn’t matter how much you want to be a yoga teacher, you won’t be able to sustain yourself financially.

• Style of yoga. There are several different yoga styles you can teach. There’s Hatha yoga, restorative yoga, power yoga, and more. Look for instructor jobs teaching the style you desire. 

• Qualifications. If you want to work for a yoga studio, certification may be required. You might also be required to have liability insurance. Knowing this upfront tells you the requirements you must meet before you can apply. And if you see similar qualifications in a lot of yoga teacher job posts, it also tells you what you might need to do to improve your teaching job options.

• Responsibilities. Some employers require more of their yoga teachers than others. Read job posts carefully to see what that studio or company would expect from you if hired. Do you have the skills to perform the necessary job duties? If not, it may not be the right one for you.

Network with Other Yoga Instructors

Another way to find your first yoga job is to network with individuals already in a teaching position. Join professional groups such as The Association of Yoga Professionals or Yoga Alliance Professionals. Start discussions with other members and participate in forums. 

You can also send a connect request to other yoga teachers on professional sites such as LinkedIn or join a Facebook group solely for yoga instructors. 

If there are other yoga instructors in your area, reach out to them too. Ask to meet over coffee or lunch and get to know them. If they have information about open yoga teacher positions, they might be willing to share this with you. Establish a good relationship with them and they may even provide a reference.

Take a Yoga Class

You can also establish a more personal connection with others in the field by taking a yoga class. Get the instructors used to seeing your face. Show them your passion for this practice and, when the time is right, inform them of your desire to lead your own class.

If you’ve been a good student, the instructor may introduce you to the individuals responsible for hiring at that facility. This benefits you by being an applicant who is known versus unknown. They’ve already seen you in action, giving them a better idea of the type of instructor you might be.

Connect with Yoga Practitioners

What do you need to be a yoga teacher? Students. Even if they aren’t your students, people who practice yoga regularly likely have relationships with local studios and other yoga professionals. This can make them some of the first to know when a new yoga teacher position opens up.

You can find groups for yogis on various social media platforms. If you’d like to meet in person, check for local meetups. It’s often said that it’s not what you know but who you know that makes the difference. Grow your list of “who’s” and see where it may take you.

Look for Volunteer Yoga Teaching Opportunities

It’s not uncommon for yoga studios to want an instructor with teaching experience. But how do you get experience if you haven’t yet landed your first job? By volunteering.

Contact local charities and civic organizations and offer yoga teaching services to their clients. Agree to provide a three-month class or a certain number of sessions free of charge. Even though you won’t get paid, you will get experience to help land your first job. 

Volunteering your services also provides another advantage: it helps you hone your skills as a yoga teacher. The only way to get better is with practice. This option provides that opportunity, making you a more skilled instructor in the end.

How to Get Your First Job Teaching Yoga with Yoga Teacher Training

If you’re having trouble getting your first job and aren’t yet certified, completing a yoga teacher training program may help. It can also give you an advantage over other job applicants who lack this type of training.

Yoga training provides the skills needed to effectively teach this practice. You learn how to break down yoga poses and cue students properly. A yoga teacher training course also helps you hone your teaching style.

But one of the major benefits of yoga instructor training is that it gives you credibility. Yoga studios want to know that you have the expertise required to be in a teacher position. Completing a training program helps provide this assurance.

Yoga teacher training can also enhance your credibility with potential students. The students might also have more confidence in your ability to help them develop a safe, effective yoga practice. This can make them feel more comfortable with you, making you a more desired instructor for a yoga studio. 

What to Look for In a Teacher Training Program

Several institutions offer yoga teacher training. However, they aren’t all the same. The last thing you want to do is complete a training program only to learn that it doesn’t help you get a yoga instructor job. To keep this from happening, here are some things to look for:

• A comprehensive yoga teaching curriculum. Review the course materials and program outline. What topics will be covered? Does it teach about the history of yoga, yoga philosophy, and the benefits of this practice? Look also at whether it teaches the skills you need as a yoga teacher. This includes covering how to break down each yoga posture. It also involves teaching you how to provide clear yoga instruction. The more comprehensive the program, the greater your knowledge. The greater your knowledge, the more desirable you are as a yoga teacher.

• Yoga teacher certification upon completion. Yoga certification instantly tells potential employers that you’ve completed a training course. It also establishes you as an authority in this space. Choose a program that provides this credential. If you don’t, you’ll have to take additional steps to become a certified yoga teacher once you’re done with the training. This takes more time and can be more expensive.

• Yoga Alliance approval. The Yoga Alliance sets the standards for teacher training. Institutions that meet these standards can become a Registered Yoga School (RYS). Get your training from an RYS and you are eligible to become a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). This designation can bolster your credibility even more. 

• Business advice. If your ultimate goal is to own a yoga business, teacher training can provide tips and tools that will help to improve your success. Find a program that offers this advice. It should tell you how to market yourself as a certified yoga instructor, for example. It may also include form templates that you can use at your yoga studio.

If you’re interested in teacher training, the ISSA Yoga & Wellness Academy offers a Yoga 200 course. This convenient online course provides a comprehensive curriculum and is approved by the Yoga Alliance. It can help prepare you for your first yoga teaching job, regardless of the method used to pursue it.

References

1. Salary: Yoga instructor. Glassdoor. (2022, September 15). Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/yoga-instructor-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm