Yoga Resume & Job Finding 101 with Lucas Rockwood
About Me Lucas Rockwood Founder of Absolute Yoga Academy and course manager for all 200 and 500-hour training courses in Thailand. I’ve personally hired over 30 teachers myself, I’ve owned 2 studios, I’ve taught over 1,000 classes to over 10,000 students. I’m constantly hiring, training and recruiting teachers myself, so I understand this process inside and out.
Why This Class? • Yoga teachers get a bad reputation business-wise (and I hope to change that) • There are huge opportunities available right now • Long term, to teach, you must learn and develop business skills that will make you an asset (not just an employee) at a studio
Yoga Myths Debunked • Myth #1 – if you trained with famous teachers, studios will want to hire you. • Myth #2 – if you have an amazing yoga practice, studios will want to hire you. • Myth #3 – if you have more credentials than anyone on the planet, studios will want to hire you.
The Real World • Yoga studios are very volatile businesses • There are only 3-4 hour “peak hours” each day • Every class is extremely important because there simply are NOT that many classes • Every new hire becomes one of the “faces” of the company, so it’s a big decision every time
Studio Owners Want…
Great Classes Reliability A Community Builder Positive & Supportive People Mature, Independent People No Whiners or Complainers No “Surprises”
The Yoga Resume 1 Page Only Teaching Experience Most Important Training Experience is Next All Other Work Experience Formal Education & Misc.
Before You Apply… • Research like crazy • Take as many classes at that studio as possible • Look for “opportunities” at the studio (not problems) where you could perhaps be helpful • Know the schedule, the teachers, the class types, etc. • Forget about yourself and think about what you can do for the studio • Be genuinely interested in the studio, the studio owner, and the success of the business first and foremost
The Cover Letter • Never write “To Whom it Concerns” or “Dear Sir/Ma’am” • Write directly to the person in charge of hiring • 1 page maximum • Make it 80% about the studio, complement the owner or manager, tell why you think you could be a great addition to their team • If at all possible, make a “no risk” offer where you demonstrate your value with no obligation or $$ required on their part
Sample Resume • • • • •
1 page No crazy fonts. Use Arial or Times. Contact info top and center. Brief yet complete. Experience, professional training, other training, then other work experience (in that order)
Sample Cover Letter • •
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Show them you did your research. Show that you are passionate about teaching. Show that you are thinking about them first, yourself second. Make it VERY easy for them to take the next step, call you, or meet you.
Questions & Answers • “How can I find opportunities to teach in existing facilities like fitness centers or health centers?” • “What are the different certifications and what do they mean?” • “How do you deal with difficult students in class, especially when they are vocal about it.”
Questions & Answers • “How much should you charge for classes?” • “How do you get started setting up workshops, organizing, charging, etc.?” • “How can I make sure students come back to class again and again?”
Up-Coming Courses
Hot Yoga Teacher Training 500-Hour Advanced Training Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher Training Bryce Yoga Training (200hr)
www.AbsoluteYogaAcademy.com