You finally did it: after years of practice and extensive research (and probably taking some time to save up) you signed up for a 200-hour yoga teacher training.
You learned about anatomy, philosophy, breathwork, yoga postures, chakras, and meditation, and most of all, you discovered more about yourself.
Congratulations, you’re now a yoga instructor!
But where do you even begin?
In this article, we will share with you 8 paths that you can explore as you dive into the incredibly rewarding job of sharing the practices of yoga with others.
We will invite you to think beyond traditional ways of teaching yoga, and forging your own path in the industry as you look for yoga instructor jobs.
Read on to learn more about:
- Teaching at a Yoga Studio (in person)
- Teaching for an Online Yoga Studio
- Teaching at a gym or civic center
- Corporate Yoga Instructor Jobs
- Teaching Private Sessions
- Teaching Workshops and Retreats
- Unconventional Yoga Instructor Jobs
- Continuing Education
Let’s dive right in.
1. Teaching at a Yoga Studio (in person)
When considering yoga instructor jobs, teaching at a studio is a great place to gain experience.
Find a studio and take some time to practice there first; if you’re able, perhaps get a one-month membership and get to know the teachers, staff, and community, to see if you’d align with their vibe.
Some studios focus on fitness, others on accessible yoga, others on meditation or Kundalini.After you’ve connected with the community, the next step is to ask management to be added to the sub list or ask them about their auditioning and hiring process.
You’ll have to provide a resume with any relevant experience as well as what styles of yoga you’ve trained in, and with who (lineage).
Being new to teaching yoga, you may feel like you have nothing to write in a resume, but consider adding any teaching background, public speaking experience, performing arts, or anything that you find that connects you to the world of yoga and to what you’d like to share with the studio’s community.
Some places will require an in-person audition, and they will provide you with the guidelines on length, style, etc.
Keep in mind that teaching at a local studio and at a corporate-style space can be very different experiences, so consider what aligns with you best!
Especially at the beginning, consider offering to teach what you know! Start with your favorite style and stick to your scope of practice.
2. Teaching for an Online Yoga Studio
Nowadays practicing yoga online has become quite popular due to its convenience, accessibility, and many other factors.
There is a plethora of virtual yoga studios to choose from, some of them focus solely on the physical practice (read here, less accessible, more acrobatics, which can be super fun for some) like AloMoves to platforms with a more inclusive approach like EkhartYoga with a variety of styles and teachers that explore beyond the yoga poses and into yogic philosophy.
Many of these platforms often feature more seasoned teachers that may already have an established style and following, but you may consider reaching out to smaller platforms and newer online yoga studios, send them an audition video, and give it a shot!
Tip: make sure you check their audition submission guidelines and follow them in detail!
3. Teaching at a gym or community center
Similarly to teaching at a physical yoga studio, a gym or a community center are great spaces for you to get some teaching experience under your belt.
One of the great things about gyms and similar spaces as one of your first yoga instructor jobs is the access that you will have to a wide variety of students, ranging from people brand new to yoga, to experiences yogis that know about the limbs of yoga and practice meditation daily.
The challenge comes when they all show up to the same class… But it is a great opportunity for you as a new teacher to learn and grow.
The downside is often the pay; it tends to be on the lower end, since gyms and recreational centers are geared toward offering affordable options for folks to exercise, also lowering their budget for staff and teachers.
4. Teaching Private Sessions
If you’re interested in providing a personalized approach for your students, consider teaching one-on-one lessons as well as small groups (2-5 people).
Private sessions can be in person as well as online, and you can choose to travel to your clients’ homes or perhaps you rent a space where you host your sessions.
Since you don’t need much space for one to five people, consider unconventional spaces that you could rent for very little during times of the day they are underutilized.
When embarking in private sessions, remember and stick to your scope of practice, and keep in mind that as a new teacher (and even after teaching for many years) you’ll be learning along your students, and that is a beautiful thing to experience.
5. Unconventional Yoga Instructor Jobs
An unconventional way to teach yoga that can be very rewarding, versatile, and fun is writing or blogging about yoga.
Start your own blog or check out online platforms like Yogajala itself as well as print publications.
Yoga teachers on staff or self-employed share their yoga expertise in written form; from yoga sequences for beginners to exploring certain aspects of yogic philosophy, writing is one of the most unique yoga instructor jobs that you may have not considered, and as a plus, you can do it from anywhere!
6. Teaching Workshops and Retreats
As a 200-hour yoga teacher, you may want to share parts of the practice beyond the traditional 60 to 75-minute asana class.
We recommend that you begin by reaching out to some of your favorite teachers and asking to assist in their workshops, masterclasses, events and retreats to gain experience and learn more about how to host your own events once you have found your niche.
You can gain experience by teaching seasonally at resorts and cruiseships.
There are online databases where you can browse for different yoga instructor jobs that require different levels of experience, languages, styles, availability for travel, etc.
7. Corporate Yoga Instructor Jobs
One of the most lucrative yoga instructor jobs nowadays is offering yoga classes, meditation workshops, and retreats to corporations.
From start-ups to large tech companies, it is becoming more common to have wellness staff that online or in person, offer yoga and other wellness practices to their employees.
Many of these companies are creating separate budgets for these programs and it is a great opportunity for teachers, new and experienced to create revenue.
8. Continuing Education
Whether you feel super prepared right after your yoga teacher training or you feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start, a great idea while searching for yoga instructor jobs is to further your education.
Especially if you choose to be a member of the Yoga Alliance where you must take a certain amount of continuing education credits (CEUs) every few years to keep your accreditation.
Furthering your education can be done both in person and online, and you can embark on a 300-hour teacher training where you’ll dive in more depth into what it is to practice, live, and teach yoga, or you can choose to partake in shorter workshops and trainings for specific subjects relating to yoga that interest you.
No matter what you choose to learn about, gaining more education and skills will make the search for yoga instructor jobs easier, and it will also help you define who you are as a yoga teacher a lot more.
Conclusion
Whether you’d like to teach in person or online, as a full-time job or as a side gig to compliment your income or your lifestyle, there are many yoga instructor jobs and ways to explore what it is to be a yoga teacher.
Get creative, develop more skills, and learn who you want to be as a yoga teacher in order to serve your community.
Learn from other teachers, students, and mentors, and remain open to the possibilities.
Yoga instructor jobs can be found all over the world, and it only takes time, creativity, and practice, to find the yoga instructor jobs that fully align with you.
Check out more on teaching yoga here.
