Yoga Teacher Confidential: Secrets of Becoming a Great Yoga Teacher

67. How to Approach a Yoga Studio for Your First Teaching Job

• Sage Rountree • Episode 67

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Most new yoga teachers approach studios completely wrong. They send generic emails, mention how much they need the work, and haven't taken a single class at the studio they're asking to teach at. Some even copy-paste so carelessly that they mention the wrong studio's name.

In this episode, I'm sharing the exact approach that gets yoga teachers hired—the one that makes you stand out from the hundreds of other applicants studio owners receive every year. This isn't about luck or connections. It's about professionalism and intentionality.

I walk you through the seven-step process I teach in The Professional Yoga Teacher's Handbook: from choosing your studio strategically, to becoming a student first, to writing an email that actually gets read, to following up professionally without being pushy. I also share what NOT to say in your initial approach—the red flags that get your email deleted immediately.

Whether you're a newly certified teacher looking for your first gig or an experienced teacher relocating to a new area, this episode gives you the roadmap for approaching studios in a way that demonstrates you understand you're entering both a community and a business.

Resources mentioned:

The Professional Yoga Teacher's Handbook by Sage Rountree: https://amzn.to/3X7XknB

Want to become (almost) everyone's favorite yoga teacher? Get in the Zone at Comfort Zone Yoga, my virtual studio focused on teacher development. I have a ton of Sage advice in there for you—let's chat there!

For more insights, subscribe to Yoga Teacher Confidential, check out my YouTube channel, and follow me on socials:

And come explore my mentorship program, my Yoga Class Prep Station membership, continuing education workshops and 300/500-hour teacher training programs, and my many books for yoga teachers. It's all at ...

Can I tell you something? Most new yoga teachers approach studios completely wrong. They send generic, templated emails that scream, I'm mass applying to every studio in town. They mention how much they need, the work or the money. They haven't taken a single class at the studio they're asking to teach at sometimes, and this is my favorite. They copy paste so carelessly that they mention the wrong studio's name. I once got an email from a teacher who wanted to teach at Triangle Yoga. That was our competition down the street. Clearly a cut and paste job, and it went straight to the trash. But every once in a while, a teacher gets it exactly right. I am Sage Rountree, and this is Yoga Teacher Confidential. Today we're talking about how to approach a yoga studio for your first teaching job, and we're going to do it in a way that actually gets you hired instead of quietly ignored. This is specifically about yoga. Studios. By the way, gyms and YMCAs are a different animal, and we'll tackle those in a future episode. But for now, we're focusing on dedicated yoga spaces where the culture, the student base, and the hiring process look very different. Let me tell you a story about how to do this right. Several years ago, a graduate student named Lauren moved to Chapel Hill to pursue her degree. She was going to be here for at least two years, and she was a certified yoga teacher looking for work, but she didn't email me right away. She didn't show up to the studio with her resume in hand asking if we were hiring. Instead, she became a student. She bought our three week unlimited intro pass the deal. We offer all new students to get a good sampling of what we offer, and she used it. She came to class after class, different teachers, different styles, different times of day. She showed up, rolled out her mat in the front row, practiced and left with a huge smile. And here's the thing. She was present. She wasn't performing. She wasn't trying to impress anyone with her fancy poses. She was genuinely there to practice yoga and to understand what our studio was about. After those three weeks, she waited until after class one day and approached me directly, not via email in person. She said, hi. I'm wondering if you are the right person to talk to about possibly teaching here. If so, would you prefer to set up a meeting or should I send you an email? That simple question told me so much. She was respectful of my time. She understood professional communication. She was not assuming anything. I said email would be great, and a few days later I got a message from her that was absolutely perfect. She opened by telling me how much she'd enjoyed her experience at the studio over the past three weeks. She mentioned specific classes and teachers, not in a schmoozey way, but genuinely sharing what had resonated with her. Then she told me she was a yoga teacher, newly relocated for graduate school and would be in town for at least two years. She mentioned that she had specialties in prenatal and yin yoga, two areas where we were actually looking to expand our offerings and shore up our sublist and the magic words. She said she was proficient in mindbody, which was our scheduling software at the time. She included her resume and she said her teacher trainer had invited me to contract her for a reference. I hired her, of course, I hired her. She'd done everything right and she taught with us until she finished her degree, got pregnant and moved away. She was professional, she was reliable, she was present with students, and she never acted cocky or entitled. She understood that the work was about serving students, not about showcasing her skills. That's the gold standard. And here's the thing. It's not complicated, it's just intentional. It requires you to slow down and think about what the studio owner or hiring manager actually needs to see from you. Now you might be thinking, okay, Sage, that's a nice story, but I just spent thousands of dollars on teacher training. I need to start working. I don't have time to take three weeks of classes at every studio in town. I get it. You're eager. You're probably a little nervous about whether you'll actually be able to make this teaching thing work. You want to get your foot in the door as quickly as possible. But here's what you need to understand from the studio owner's perspective. And I say this as a co-owner of a studio who gets these requests constantly. We are drowning in applications from new teachers. Every single teacher trading program graduates a cohort of newly certified teachers. Several times a year. Usually many of those teachers are in our area and a significant percentage of them send out mass emails to every studio they can find online. Asking if we're hiring. Most of those emails are generic. Most of those teachers have never set foot in our studios. Most of them have no idea what we teach, how we teach, who our students are, what our studio culture looks like. When you approach a studio without having been a student there first, what you're really saying is, I want something from you, but I haven't invested any time or energy into understanding whether I'm even a good fit for what you do. That is not appealing. And a quick sidebar here. This is a, an area in which yoga is very different. Now, if you are applying for a desk job at an office, you wouldn't go and like stalk the workers to see them in their desk job and determine whether the company is a good fit culturally for what you have to offer. But in yoga, this is a very easy thing to do. In the Professional Yoga Teacher's Handbook, I include the stock response that we typically send to teachers who contact us without having visited our studio. It goes like this. We have an overabundance of teachers right now, both on the schedule and on our sub list. When we do hire, we like to choose from among the folks who have been practicing at the studio regularly. If you're interested in teaching at Carrboro Yoga Company, that's a great place to start so that we can get to know each other and so that you can understand the studio culture and student needs. Notice what this does, it sets a clear expectation without being discouraging. It tells teachers exactly what we need them to do. But even with this clear guidance, most teachers don't follow through. They move on to the next studio on their list, hoping for an easier yes. The ones who do follow through, those are the ones we hire. And if they let us know that it, because they just finished yoga teacher training and spent $3,500 on that, they can't afford the three week offer. We'll cut them some kind of deal or invite them to class as a guest. Because showing up as a student first isn't just about. Us getting to know you. It's about you getting to know us. When you take several classes at a studio before asking to teach there, you're doing your due diligence. You're figuring out, can I actually help these students? Do I have something to offer them? Do the teachers here seem happy? Is this a supportive work environment? What are the teacher's duties beyond just showing up and teaching? Do they have to do their own check-in? Do they stay after to chat with students? Do they help with set up and clean up? You are assessing whether the studio is a good fit for you, not just whether you are a good fit for the studio. And that assessment is critical because not every studio is right for every teacher. Maybe you love teaching really athletic, sweaty flow classes, but this studio specializes in gentle restorative practices. That's not a match. Maybe you thrive in a corporate franchise environment with set sequences on strict guidelines, but this studio gives teachers creative freedom and expects them to plan their own classes or vice versa. Maybe you're inspired by studios that integrate philosophy and chanting, but this place keeps it strictly physical or vice versa. You won't know any of this until you show up as a student. You can infer a little bit from the website, but physical presence is going to get you a far better picture of the studio culture. And when you do show up, when you invest that time and energy, you are signaling something incredibly important to the studio owner or the hiring manager. You're serious, you're professional. You understand that this is a relationship, not a transaction. That matters more than you might think. You can believe that the very first thing we do when we get an email from a prospective teacher is look them up in our scheduling software to see whether they visited. Alright, let's break down exactly how to approach a studio in a way that gets you hired. This is your roadmap, and if you follow it, you'll stand out from 95% of the other applicants. Step one. Choose your studio strategically. Don't just apply to every studio in town. Be selective. Look for studios where you genuinely want to practice, where the vibe feels right to you, where you can see yourself fitting in as part of the teacher community. If you have a specialty prenatal yin yoga for healthy aging, yoga for athletes, restorative yoga. And by the way, I offer courses that will help you specialize in all of these. If you have this specialty, look for studios that already offer those classes or that seem like they'd be open to adding them. If your schedule is especially free or you love teaching early mornings or late evenings, those are valuable assets.

Some teachers won't touch a 6:

00 AM class, so if you are willing, that's something to highlight. Don't spread yourself too thin by trying to court five studios at once. Focus on the one or two where you really want to teach and give them your full attention. Step two is sign up for the intro offer and actually use it. Most studios offer some kind of introductory deal for new students, often a week or a month of unlimited classes at a discounted rate, buy it. It's a business expense. Use it. Take at least three classes and ideally more go to different teachers. Try different class styles. If the studio offers variety. Show up at different times of day to see how the energy shifts between morning and evening crowds. And here's the key. Be present. Be a good student. Don't try to impress anyone. Don't take it as an opportunity to workshop your demo skills. Just practice yoga sincerely, and observe what's happening around you. Notice things like how do teachers interact with students before and after class? How does the front desk staff welcome people? What's the energy in the room like? Is it warm and community oriented, or more anonymous and drop in focused? How do teachers handle things like music, adjustments, theming? What do teachers do when class ends? Do they rush out or do they stick around? Pay attention to the students too. Ask them about their experience. Which teachers do they recommend? How long have they been coming to the studio? What keeps them coming back? All of this is reconnaissance. You're building a genuine understanding of the studio so that when you do approach the hiring manager or the studio owner, you can speak intelligently about what you've experienced there. So step three, speak to students after class. This isn't about networking in a schmoozy way. It's about building authentic connections. So you've spoken to the students and gotten a sense of the culture. Step three is to speak to the teachers after class. This isn't about networking in a schmoozy way. It's about building authentic connections after class. Approach the teacher. Give them a genuine compliment about something specific you appreciated in class. Then mention that you're interested in joining the teaching staff and ask who's in charge of hiring and how the scheduling process works. Teachers are usually very generous with this information. They'll tell you when schedules are written, maybe quarterly, maybe monthly, maybe. Whenever there's an opening, they'll tell you whom to talk to. And if you're lucky what the process looks like. This conversation serves two purposes. You get valuable insider information, and when you do approach the hiring manager, you might be able to say, I've been taking Sarah's Tuesday class, and she mentioned you are the one to talk to about teaching opportunities. That's a warm introduction, not a cold pitch. Okay. Step four is approach the hiring manager directly, maybe in person after you've taken several classes and after you've done your homework, wait until after class one day and approach the person you've identified as the hiring manager or the studio owner. Here is exactly what to say. You can go to the transcript for this podcast and cut and paste. This, memorize it. Hi. I'm wondering, are you the right person to talk to about possibly teaching here? If so, would you prefer I send you an email with my resume, or would you like to set up a meeting? That's it. Simple, respectful, professional. You're not cornering them. You're not launching into your whole pitch right there in the lobby. You're asking permission for the right way to continue the conversation. Most managers will say Email is fine. Some might suggest setting up a coffee meeting or a phone call. Either way, you've now opened the door in a professional low pressure way, and if you can't feasibly show up to this person's class in person, you can do the same thing in an email. Ask them, are you the right person to talk to? And if so, may I send you my resume, or could we meet. Then step five is to write a stellar follow up email. If email is the preferred route, here's what needs to go in your message. And I'm pulling directly from the guidance in the Professional Yoga Teacher's Handbook here, which I detail in the chapter on getting your first class gig. Clearly, your email should be clear, concise, and error free. It shouldn't say Triangle Yoga when you're writing to Carrboro Yoga. Proofread it multiple times. Use proper punctuation. Don't write it like a text message. Hit these points. Your positive experience at the studio. Open by referencing the classes you've taken. Mention specific teachers if you can, and what made those experiences memorable. This shows you've actually been there and you're not just copying and pasting. Now, don't be over the top or fake. Don't kiss up. Just be genuine. I've really enjoyed the last few weeks practicing at studio name. I've taken teachers Thursday evening class several times and loved how accessible she makes the practice. I am so excited to see the diversity among the students at your studio. Also say who you are as a teacher. Say that you are a new or an experienced teacher interested in teaching there. Be honest about your level of experience. If you have a specialty, mention it. Yin yoga, prenatal kids yoga. Yoga for healthy aging, yoga en español. If your schedule is especially open or you love teaching at unpopular times early morning or late evening or mid-afternoon, say, so those are assets. Briefly mention your training and your credentials. Mention where you did your teacher training and who your lead teacher was. Say that your trainer is happy to give you a reference and make sure you've actually confirmed this with them first. If you've completed any additional certifications or specialty trainings, like the ones that you'll find at comfortzoneyoga.com, mention those too. Describe your teaching experience if you've taught anywhere else, even if it's just a few classes for friends or at a community center, or as part of your training, mention it. Be specific about the number of students and settings. Since graduating from my 200 hour yoga teacher training in May, I've been teaching a weekly community class at the park to about eight to 12 students per week. If you don't have much experience yet, that's okay. Just be honest. Mention your willingness to substitute and your willingness to audition. This is huge. Say explicitly that you are eager to substitute classes as needed and that you'd be happy to audition or guest teach a portion of a class to give the hiring manager a sense of your teaching style. Being available to sub is often the entry point to getting your own regular class, so emphasize your flexibility here. Mention your technical skills. If you're familiar with the scheduling software, the studio uses mindbody, uh, Zen Planner, wellness Living, whatever. Mention it. This might seem minor, but it's actually a significant advantage. Training new teachers on the software takes time, and if you already know it, you're immediately more valuable. And here's something that isn't in the book, but it's equally important if the studio is a franchise or if it uses set sequences or specific class formats. I'm thinking Yoga Six or Core Power yoga. Mention whether you're familiar with those. For example, if you're approaching a core power studio and you know their formats say so if you don't know them, but you can articulate how what you teach would fit with their offerings, explain that. Understanding or being willing to learn. A studio specific methodology shows you've done your homework and you're adaptable. Then include your resume and your website link. Attach your teaching resume as a PDF in your email signature. Include a link to your website where they'll find a smiling photo of you and a short bio. If you need a template for the resume, you'll find one in the Professional Yoga Teacher's Handbook and the resources key to it, which are available to you for free@comfortzoneyoga.com. In the Zone, our free community for yoga teachers. And if you are a big fan of templates, I've got a host of templates as part of my yoga class, prep station, my $39 a month membership. Find the link in the show notes now, keep your email pitch itself as concise as possible while covering all of these points, you're aiming for maybe three paragraphs, not a novel. Ideally, it's something that somebody could read on a phone screen with only one flick or two of their thumb. Then step six is to follow up professionally. If you don't hear back within two weeks, follow up, keep it brief and friendly. Hi, name. I wanted to check in on my previous email about teaching opportunities. I'm still very interested and available. If anything opens up, thanks for your consideration. Then follow up again in about two months. Timing matters. At Carrboro Yoga Company, for example, we write our schedules about quarterly. Someone who reaches out just before a new scheduling period is more likely to get our attention than someone who contacts us right after we finalized everything. Ask about the studio scheduling timeline and time your follow ups accordingly. Step seven, be patient and keep practicing. Here's a reality check. You might not get hired right away. That's not a reflection on you or your teaching. It's just the nature of the profession. Studios genuinely do have more qualified teachers than they have open spots. But if you keep showing up as a student, if you continue to be a positive presence in the community, if you're professional and patient, you'll often get a call when something opens up. Let me give you a quick list of things that are red flags for studio owners of what not to say. Don't mention these in your initial approach. How much money you need, don't lead with, I really need to start making money. Teaching, or how much do you pay? Those conversations come later after you've been offered a position. Your initial pitch is about what you can offer the studio and its student base, not about what you need from them. Don't mention your limited ability to substitute if you're not available to subclasses, which is often the entry point to getting a regular slot. Don't emphasize that limitation in your initial email. Be honest if you're asked directly, but don't lead with it. Studios need teachers who can cover last minute illnesses and emergencies. If you can't do that, you'll be less valuable in the short term. Okay. Don't lead with any negativity about other studios. Even if you had a bad experience somewhere else. Don't mention it. Do not trash talk other teachers or studios. It makes you look unprofessional, catty, and difficult. Don't lead with generic or vague enthusiasm. I just love yoga so much, and I want to share it with everyone is not compelling. Be specific. What do you actually bring to the table? What makes your teaching uniquely valuable? Enthusiasm is great, but it needs to be backed up with substance. Now, what about auditions? Some studios do formal auditions where you teach a sample class. Others like us at Carrboro Yoga Company don't. We don't do auditions because frankly, they're a bit artificial. Teaching a class where the other teachers are explicitly evaluating you creates a weird dynamic that doesn't reflect what actual teaching looks like. Instead, if we're considering someone, I might invite them to guest, teach a portion of a regular class, maybe 10 to. 15 minutes. This gives me a sense of their presence without the pressure of a full audition. I'm also happy to look at teaching video because I can watch 30 seconds of video and get a pretty good sense of what that teacher's style is. What am I looking for? In that video or in that guest teaching segment or in our conversations, I want to see that the teacher has presence, that they're comfortable holding space, that they can be quiet when appropriate and not just fill every second with talk. That they understand the work is about serving students not performing. I want to learn something, even if it's just one small cue or one interesting way to use a prop. I want to walk away feeling like this person has something to teach, and I want to see that they're genuine, that they're themselves not trying to be some idealized version of what they think a yoga teacher should be. If all of that comes through and if their initial approach was professional and thoughtful, then we've probably found a new teacher for our community. Look, here's the bottom line. Getting your first teaching job at a studio isn't about luck. It's not about who you know. The connections help. It's not even primarily about your skill level, though. Obviously you need to be competent. It's about. Professionalism. It's about showing that you understand you are entering a community and a business, and that you respect both when you take the time to show up as a student first, when you craft a thoughtful, specific email when you're available to support the studio's needs by subbing classes. When you're patient and persistent without being pushy, that's when you stand out and that's when you get hired. All of this guidance and much more about building your teaching career is in the Professional Yoga Teacher's Handbook. You can pick it up wherever books are sold or ask your local library to order a copy. The whole chapter on getting a regular class gig walks through these steps in detail with prompts and exercises to help you craft your approach. When you are working with me in mastering the Art of Yoga sequencing, my mentorship membership, this professional development piece is part of what we will cover together. I will review your resume and I will offer you a glowing reference because you'll be such a good teacher after we spiff up your skills over the course of six months. But we'll also focus on getting you the teaching jobs of your dreams because you can have the best sequencing skills in the world, but if you can't land a teaching job, those skills don't go anywhere. So take your time, do this right. Be the student who shows up practices sincerely, and then makes a thoughtful approach. Don't be the person who copy Pastes Triangle Yoga into an email to Carrboro Yoga Company. We'll know and we'll delete your email. Thank you so much for listening to Yoga Teacher Confidential. I'm Sage Rountree, and I'll see you next time.

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Sage Rountree

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