Congratulations! Following the stress, anxiety, and tears (maybe!), that coveted piece of paper finally arrived that validates you as a 200 hour certified yoga teacher. Now you may be wondering what you should do after yoga teacher training so you can land your first job. Well, friend. Now is when your real work begins.
As good as your training may have been, chances are you still have a lot to learn. And if you feel nowhere near ready to teach at this point, you aren’t alone! Adjusting bodies for better alignment? No. Confidently lead your first class without stumbling? Nope. Try again. These and other scenarios might be running through your head. I understand. I felt all of those things…and more after yoga teacher training.
But through my experience, there are tangible steps you can take that will help you get closer to landing that first gig.
After yoga teacher training ended I still didn’t know what path I wanted to go down, but I did know that I needed to gather more information and go beyond the yoga books. So here are the steps I took to get there:
1. TALK MORE TO EXPERIENCED TEACHERS
Two days after yoga teacher training I set up coffee/tea dates with teachers who led classes I admired, and whose energy I vibed with. I asked them a series of questions to find out what they did after their own yoga teacher training. Their advice varied, but the overall message from all was: Find your voice and your own style. Don’t imitate other teachers because it won’t be authentic and the students will know. I took that advice seriously, which is where #2 comes into play!
2. TEACH AND TAKE YOUR OWN CLASS!
Yes, you read that correctly. Let me explain. When you teach, you have to hold the space confidently. If you aren’t used to projecting your voice and sounding confident, you have to practice. So here’s what I did:
I wrote out a sequence I was interested in teaching. After looking the sequence over, I would “teach” the “class” by giving the instructions and cues out loud while also recording myself using my phone. The next day, I would replay the recording and “take” the class as if I were a student.
Following this process worked for me because I was able to go through the class as both the teacher and the student. On the teaching end, I was able to learn how to project, and on the student end, I was able to discover where I needed to give more breaks in the sequence.
3. JUST START TO TEACH
I know the idea of finding people to teach is scary, but it’s possible! If you work, offer your co-workers free lunchtime yoga class; if you don’t work, invite family and friends over for a free weekend yoga session; you could also promote a free yoga series at your local community center or park. People love anything free!
I did all of the above items and I think it helped me land my first job faster. I hope these tips work for you, too. And if you have done the tips above, leave a comment below and let me know how it went!
