Reader Q&A: How to Apply for a Job as a Yoga Teacher, How to Approach a New Yoga Community, & More...

Strangely enough, last week I received two *very similar* emails from yoga teachers who are contemplating a big move and a big life transition. 

Both ladies are thinking about moving to a new city and taking the leap towards becoming a full-time yoga teacher, and thus, had many similar questions for me re: entering a new yoga community, applying for teaching jobs, and putting yourself out there.

So, I thought that I would use today's post to answer some of their questions, in hopes that they will be helpful to many more of you. Even if you're not moving to a new place to pursue teaching anytime soon, if you're a yoga teacher looking to put yourself out there a bit more, much of the information below may still apply...

How do you approach entering a new yoga community?  
The good thing about yoga communities is that they are one of the most welcoming types of communities around (from my experience). If you want to be involved, if you put yourself out there, if you take lots of classes in your first few weeks in your new city and introduce yourself to the teachers and people at the studios you visit, you can quickly feel at home and meet lots of new people. 

When I moved to both Cape Cod and DC, I researched all of the local yoga studios before I moved. I had an idea of what kind of studios were out there and was able to get a feel for the yoga in these new places without even visiting. 

I asked around and was given a name or two of acquaintances of acquaintances, and emailed them out of the blue to ask about the yoga scene and get information from a someone on the "inside." Having a community insider give you advice and/or info before you move is a big help, and can make you feel much more at ease entering a new community. 

How do you approach new yoga studios? Do you take classes first? Show up with your resume? Send them an email? 
First and foremost, I want to say that I don't recommend cold-calling or sending random emails to studios that you haven't even visited. When I managed Tranquil Space Arlington, we would often get emails to our general inbox "applying" to be a teacher at our studio, from people who had never been to the studio, had no idea what we were about, taught a type of yoga that wasn't a good fit for our studio, AND didn't even realize that we only hired teachers from our own training program. 

I was always shocked that someone would want to teach at a studio that they had never been to, but also that they would apply so impersonally. Here's how I recommend you do it/what has worked for me:

• Don't apply to teach anywhere until you have moved (unless you have some sort of connection, have been e-introduced to the owner or manager, know someone who works there already, etc). 
  
  
• When you get to your new city, go visit all of the studios. Spend your first week or so taking a class at a different place every day. Get a feel for the various studios, teachers, owners, and vibes. Do your research and try to take classes with the owners, senior teachers, or teacher training leaders. This can tell you a lot about a studio.
  
  
• When you check-in at the front desk or talk to the teacher before class, don't be afraid to tell them that you're a yoga teacher who has just moved to the area. Try not to be in-your-face/braggy about it, but if it comes up naturally, tell them. You never know what will happen or what kind of information you'll learn once you start chatting. {This is actually how one of my teaching positions here on the Cape came to be!}
  
  
• Once you've decided which studios are a good fit for your teaching style/personality/vibe, find out how to apply. Ask at the front desk or ask who you would email with questions about getting involved at the studio. Send that person a personal email including the following info: "I have just moved to the area from _____, have been to many studios over the past week or two here, and feel that your studio would be the best fit for my teaching style and personality (or whatever). I would love to get involved in any way possible, so am attaching my resume for your consideration..."
  
  
• Avoid just applying to every studio in your area. Be open, but also be somewhat choosy. Try to be as patient as possible and keep practicing at the places you're interested in teaching. If you're open to it, look into gyms and other outlets for teaching so that you can start getting your name out there ASAP. 
  
  
• Oh, and if you don't already have one, build a website! If you have one, make sure it's up-to-date and professional! Share that website in your intro email, so that the studio owners can get a feel for who you are. SUCH a big help (I can't tell you how much my online presence helped me get teaching positions in this new town!).

What does a yoga resume look like? 
I feel like the best way to explain what a yoga resume looks like is just to share my own. Thus, if you're interested in a template, you can download mine here. Hope it's helpful! 

Do most places ask you to audition? What are auditions typically like?
I've found that this varies per studio. I have been hired at studios that didn't ask me to audition, I've had owners come to my classes at other studios and called that my "audition," and I've had formal auditions that are anywhere from 15-minutes to 75-minutes. It is always different.

However, if you are asked to audition, here's what I recommend:

• Ask what "class level" they'd like the audition class to be, how long it will be, and whether or not they want you to bring music. If you can, find out how many people will be in attendance so you know what to prepare for.
  
  
• Keep it simple. Don't try anything new, crazy, or too advanced. Use the audition to show your teaching, assisting, and cueing style, and keep the sequencing fairly basic (but smart). 
  
  
• PLAN your sequence ahead of time and practice it beforehand. Time yourself to ensure you'll be within the time limits. If you're using music, practice it with the music you plan on using,  
  
  
• Try to be yourself! Auditions are always awkward (I've never been to one that isn't), but if you can let your personality shine through, it's a BIG help. 
  
  
• Choose fairly subdued music for your audition, so it doesn't distract anyone from your teaching.
  
  
• Send a thank you note afterward (email or hand-written, depending on the the timeline you're working with) and in this note mention that you look forward to receiving their feedback on your class. 

What other advice do you have re: taking this big leap?
If possible, try to have a few other options up your sleeve (for financial reasons). It can take a little while to establish yourself in a new place, and it's nice if you have a few other sources of income (even if they're small-ish), so that you aren't freaking out about becoming a full-time yoga teacher in just a few weeks. By next month, I'll be teaching 8 regular classes per week here on the Cape (my self-imposed max for now), but it took me 4 months to get to this point. 

If you don't have other ways to make money (for me it has been painting, Etsy, blogging, consulting, and e-courses), then be open to taking on a part-time job for a little while, or doing some freelance work, if you need to. You could try to work at the front desk of a yoga studio (if they aren't hiring teachers at the moment), or search Craigslist for part-time help that might be needed on a temporary basis. You may not need to do this, but it's nice to know that you have other ways to make money if the transition takes a bit longer than you hoped. 

Also, don't be afraid to say no to opportunities that aren't the right fit for you. Since moving here, I have politely said no to a few opportunities that felt like they wouldn't be the best use of my time and energy in a new place. Although it can be scary to turn something down, if your gut says no, listen to it and save yourself for the classes that are a better fit. 

So, in closing, I want to remind you of this:

The yoga world is different than the corporate world. Every studio is different and there isn't a basic guideline for how the hiring process goes. Some of the places where I've been hired haven't even asked to see my resume [When I offered it they said, "That isn't necessary."]  Some places have required auditions, and some haven't. Some have asked me to tea so that we could meet, and have hired me on the spot, and some haven't replied for weeks, only to then email me back with interest. You have to just put it all out there, roll with the punches, and see what happens. 

That being said, I hope you go for it! It's an exciting challenge, an exciting time, and in the end, it's very worth it to do what you love and spend your days working with people, being active, and breathing deeply (ahhhhhh). 

I hope this is helpful and good luck out there!

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{July 2015 Update} Want to learn more about these topics? I've written an eBook all about the business of yoga:

HOW TO EARN A LIVING TEACHING YOGA: A BUSINESS GUIDE FOR YOGA TEACHERS 

How much money you can make teaching yoga? 

How do you get a teaching job, promote your classes, and grow your yoga biz?

Here's your chance to get the inside scoop: An eBook that breaks down everything you need to know about earning a living (or at least a part of your living) teaching yoga. 

This is the book that I wanted to read when I first decided to become a yoga teacher, but couldn't find anywhere; It's an honest and straightforward glimpse into what it looks + feels like to teach yoga as a primary source of income. 

Learn more about the book {HERE} or place your order below!

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Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any questions :)