Getting Hired at a Yoga Studio

I’ve received a lot of questions about how to land jobs at yoga studios. If you’re just starting out as a yoga teacher, I wouldn’t recommend applying at studios right away. Gaining some experience first will help you be more successful in a studio environment.

I dive deeper into why you might (or might not) want to teach at a yoga studio in a previous episode of Full Time Flow—be sure to check that out!

If you’ve got your heart set on teaching at your dream studio, where do you begin? While the process can differ from place to place, here’s what you can typically expect based on my experience.

Start by Attending Classes

If you have your eye on a particular studio, begin by attending their classes regularly. Bonus points if the studio owner teaches—sign up for their class and stay afterward to introduce yourself. Let them know what you love about the studio and express your interest in teaching there.

Take classes with other instructors as well, and make a point to introduce yourself to both teachers and fellow practitioners. The more you can establish yourself as part of the community, the better. This may be a long game, but when opportunities open up, you’re more likely to be top of mind.

Follow Their Social Media and Email Lists

Keep up with the studio on social media and join their email list. Studios often post about job openings in these channels first. Low-key stalk them so you’re the first to know when they’re looking for new teachers!

Get Your Materials Ready

Before any opportunities pop up, prepare an updated resume and record a 10–15 minute teaching demo video so they’re ready to go. That way, when the opportunity arrives, you’ll be prepared to send everything right away. 

The Teaching Demo/Audition

Once your resume is reviewed, you’ll likely be asked to do a demo or audition. This is your chance to show that you’ve got experience and confidence as a teacher. If you already teach a public class, invite the studio owner to attend. You might also be asked to share your demo video (good thing you’ve already got one!). Sometimes, you’ll need to do a group or one-on-one audition directly with the studio owner.

Auditions can be nerve-wracking, and it’s totally normal to feel nervous. Just do your best, trust your teaching skills, and remember—it gets easier with practice! That’s one reason why I always recommend gaining some teaching experience before applying to studios.

My Own Audition Fail (and Lesson Learned)

Quick side story: I once attended a large group audition before I felt truly confident in my teaching. I let the nerves get to me and completely bombed the audition. It was a hit to my confidence, but looking back, it was a valuable learning experience. The worst-case scenario happened—and I survived! It showed me I wasn’t quite ready yet, but at least I got the audition practice under my belt.

Discuss Rates and Availability

If your audition goes well and the studio owner decides you’re the right fit, the next step will be discussing rates and availability. Some studios start all new instructors at a set rate, while others may ask for your rate, so it’s good to be prepared to talk about this ahead of time.

Start as a Sub

Most likely, you’ll get hired on the sub list, covering for classes as needed. Sub as much as you can—it’s a great way to show your commitment and skill. Think of this as a trial run to see if you’re a good fit. If all goes well, you could land a regular spot on the schedule when a class opens up.

Final Thoughts

Keep in mind that most studios prefer hiring teachers with some experience. If you’re fresh out of your 200-hour training, landing a studio job will be more challenging—unless it’s where you trained. Don’t be discouraged, though. Studios aren’t the only place to teach yoga, and there are many other opportunities to build your experience.

In the next episode of Full Time Flow, I’ll share how to start teaching as a new 200-hour graduate, even if you have no experience.