11 Things You Should Do After Finishing Your Yoga Teacher Training

You’ve completed your yoga teacher training! Awesome! Now, what next? You are most likely continuing with your full-time job, with a dream to start teaching more regularly, and to eventually go into teaching full-time as a career. There are a few things you need to do in order to realise that dream.

This article will help you figure out your next steps and give you tips on how to start an exciting career in yoga.

Let’s get started! 

1. Start a Certification Folder

Most Teacher Training Programs issue a certificate to you upon graduation to show that you completed the program successfully. When you get the certificate, you should make a few colour copies and get them laminated. You should then start a certificate folder to hold your certificates, a list of your completed classes, your grades, attendance records and any other documents that show that you completed your trainings.

It would be helpful to have these key documents in one place, especially as you take more trainings over the years. You will find it particularly handy to have all that information in one place when applying for teaching positions. 

2. Register with the Yoga Alliance

The yoga school you attended is most likely a registered yoga school with the Yoga Alliance. If your school is registered, you can go to the Yoga Alliance website and submit your enrollment and completion details there so you can become a Registered Yoga Teacher. 

3. Get Certified in CPR and EFAC

Becoming certified in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation for North American teachers) and EFAC (European First Aid Certificate for European teachers) highlights that you have taken a step further (beyond getting your yoga teacher certification) to become a professional member of the yoga community. It is not necessary to take this step but it does come with the added bonus of professionalism. Your students will also feel safer knowing that you're certified in administering first aid.

You should make sure to add the certificate to your certification folder. 

4. Get Liability Insurance

Getting liability insurance is a must for yoga teachers. It legally protects you when teaching and a lot of studios require you to have it.

There are many insurance companies in the United States and Europe that provide it. You can simply run a Google search to find insurance companies in your area that provide it. The cost is not too high when you compare it to the dollar or euro limits provided in the coverage.

Once you receive the coverage statement, you should print or copy it and place it in your certification folder. 

5. Create a Yoga Resume

You should create a resume that provides a comprehensive profile of your professional and teaching experience. Do not worry if you do not have any teaching experience, there is still a lot that you can add to the resume.

You can include your professional experience but list skills that can be transferred or translated to teaching. You should also include your training certification and make your personal statement about your teaching style and what you are looking forward to specializing in (if you have decided on a specialty). 

6. Set Your Rates

It may seem unusual to set your rates without any experience as a yoga teacher but it is a useful exercise to understand the yoga industry; find out what the range of rates are in your specialty; and also helps you to start thinking about your costs and revenue needs from teaching yoga. The rate will of course change as you gain more experience but the basic formula for determining your rates won’t change.

And remember that just because you have set your rate, it doesn’t mean that you should decline any offers that are not willing to pay your rates. There are many other reasons you should take the job as a new yoga teacher. The primary reason is that you will gain experience which you can add to your resume. You could perhaps make an agreement with your new employer that you have the right to re-evaluate your rate after 6 months. 

7. Gain Classroom Experience

As a recent yoga teacher graduate, it is important for you to teach in order to keep active; gain experience; network; observe experienced teachers; to keep learning and to be of service. You can either enquire at a local yoga studio or host a teacher training session if you are not able to assist in classes.

Once you locate a yoga studio where you can assist in classes, you should commit to a regular class and assist on a regular basis. It should be viewed as a responsibility as opposed to a community service commitment that you do once in awhile. If you can’t commit longterm due to the demands of your full-time job, you can perhaps commit for a few months. Although you won’t get paid, you will get a lot of experience that you can add to your resume. 

8. Keep Networking

You should create a contact list of other yoga teachers in the industry: colleagues from training; other teachers you have met; and teachers that you admire and want to emulate. You should constantly network by looking for new studios to visit, asking teachers to lunch and attend local workshops. Creating this list of contacts is particularly useful in your job search. 

9. Practice Yoga

You should always remember that you need to regularly practice yoga. Indeed, being a student is a big part of your yoga training. It is also a good way to network and meet other yoga teachers and students as well. Making your presence known is a big part of getting your desired teaching job. 

10. Take Continuing Education Classes

There is a lot more to learn after getting your yoga teaching certification. You should continue to learn by attending classes, workshops and continuing education units (CEUs). You can choose to learn about a different yoga practice that you are unfamiliar with or take a class that goes over the latest developments in your specialty. You should not underestimate the value of continuing education to your success as a teacher. 

11. Be Patient

You are probably really excited to get started after receiving your yoga teacher certification. Understandably so. However, it may take some time to make the connections you need and to properly start your career. You shouldn’t give up. Be patient, stay focused and keep manifesting. It will all come together and work out in the end!  

Wrapping Up

Graduating from teacher training is a great milestone and a big step forward to starting a wonderful teaching career. The time and money you invested in the program and networking will pay off. Be enthusiastic about learning and developing more as a teacher; and be patient, have faith and be yourself. Everything always works out for you in the end! Namaste.