For a yoga teacher, the first job is a great way to establish a personal style and relationships with students.
Tips for a Yoga Teacher's First Job
Should You Work on Your Own or For Someone Else?
Starting off on your own venture as a yoga instructor is exciting if you have the tools to do it. If this goal is one you want to explore, first visit recreation centers, nursing facilities, and even apartment communities. Meet with the manager or activity director and see if you can strike up a deal to teach. If you go this route you can charge by the hour or by the class. Beginner yoga teachers should ask for $10-$20 per hour, or $30-$40 per class (usually 90 minutes), depending on your location and the type of yoga you offer.
Some recreation centers and apartment communities will offer you the space and allow you to keep your class fees while others will charge you an exercise room rental fee. Other places like yoga studios and fitness clubs will take a percentage of what you make and give you the rest.
How Can You Develop an Attractive Resume?
Your resume should let a prospective employer, activities director or manager know who you are and what types of yoga you can teach. Your resume should be clear, concise, on one page and include where you went to school and any internships or student mentoring you've done. LovetoKnow offers great resume samples and tips on writing a successful resume.
Are You a People Person?
Once you've set up some interviews, think about what kind of person you are. Yoga teachers come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing they do have in common is that they are each good with people. Ask yourself how well you connect with other people. Are you energetic and encouraging? Are you patient with students? Do you care enough about yoga to enlighten people and help them on their personal paths? If you answer yes to these questions, you're a great people person and ready to get that first yoga job.
How Much Do You Expect to Earn?
When you were training for your yoga teacher certification, chances are you were given some guidelines on what you can expect to earn. However, every yoga teacher's first job may not offer the vast salary you expected when you were in training. Most instructors work their way up the ladder to success through excellence and referrals.
If you plan to go it alone, decide whether you want to work full or part time and how much you want to charge per hour or class. Find out how much you should charge by reading General Income and Salary for Yoga Teachers. Typically, teachers new to yoga need to offer affordable classes to gain a following. If you intend to charge by the hour, start with between $10-$15 per hour. If charging by the class, again begin on the lower end, say around $20.
What Business Decisions Do You Have to Make?
Yoga teachers are entrepreneurs who have business decisions to make when they seek that first job. Keep in mind that if your state requires you to collect and pay sales taxes for the classes you teach, you must contact your state's revenue department and apply for a sales tax number. You may also need to post your certification each time you hold a class depending upon your state's laws and if you want to offer classes out of your home, a local business license may be required.
If you rent a space to teach yoga, you should ask an insurance broker if you need to carry any liability insurance for you and your client's protection.
Finally, unless you work for a large company where benefits are offered, you'll need to decide if you can afford health care and make decisions about saving money for your future and retirement. To obtain more information about what you'll need to be a yoga teacher in your area, contact your local economic development center or community center for more information.
Position Yourself for Success
Getting that first position teaching yoga can be easier than you think if you put a little effort in before the interview. Yoga is now popularly prescribed by physicians and physical therapists after surgery or injuries as well as the healing and spiritual powers it offers. Yoga is therapeutic and a great way for people to start a healthy lifestyle. When you're ready for that yoga teacher first job, use the above information to position yourself strategically and communicate your philosophy.
