By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500
How do you find an ideal Yoga teaching position? When should you teach for free? Is it worth the time to construct a resume for a Yoga teacher position? Are a Yoga instructors holding onto steady jobs? Let’s review these issues and find solutions.
How do you find an ideal Yoga teaching position? Firstly, you should have a clear vision of what you consider to be “ideal.” This viewpoint will not be shared by every teacher in your area. There are so many different classes and facilities to teach in, that none of us really wants the same thing.
For example: there are people who specialize in teaching on cruise ships, in retirement communities, or at corporate fitness centers. In each case, that particular Yoga teacher has pursued a specific direction because the atmosphere made him or her happy to teach classes.
When should you teach Yoga for free? You may want to teach a group in need. A homeless shelter is one example of a place where you might teach as a form of selfless service (Karma Yoga). Sometimes, a fitness facility has a position and asks Yoga instructors to do a “free demo” class.
This may raise some internal conflicts. You are worth being paid for your time and you feel like the prospective facility is taking advantage of you. You might ask yourself, “Why am I teaching for free?” If your intuition tells you the facility has a habit of taking advantage of teachers, you might be better off to refuse it.
On the other hand, one free demo class may land you a teaching position. In some facilities, it takes a while to be one of the top three Yoga teachers on the substitute list. Teaching one free Yoga class may open many doors in the future.
Is it worth the time to construct a resume for a Yoga teacher position? This depends on where you plan to send the resume. In general, a resume is not a great lead into a Yoga studio for a teaching position. Why?
Usually teachers are hired from within the studio’s student ranks. If you want to teach in a specific studio, you would be better to approach them from within, unless the management has posted a notice that they are seeking instructors.
With all that said, it still looks professional to have a prepared resume, if or when, it is requested. Additionally, if you were to approach colleges, hospitals, retirement communities, or corporate fitness centers, you definitely should have a resume prepared. Many rewarding and steady teaching positions can be found outside Yoga schools in corporate, medical, fitness, community, and recreational facilities.
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