Want To Teach Yoga? Here's How To Build A Standout Resume

Before taking the leap into the apparel industry and starting my own company, I worked at a big name yoga company for eight years. Part of my job was to recruit and evaluate teachers to fill schedules at the many studios in the tri-state area.

I have seen more than my fair share of yoga resumes, to say the least. They have evolved over time from paper to electronic, from words to photos, but more than anything, they have grown exponentially in number.

With the yoga boom and the many teacher trainings available, there are now more yoga teachers than ever before.

However, I did find that quantity in resumes did not always mean quality. Fine-tuning your yoga teacher resume can be challenging, leaving many teacher training graduates stuck without a job, and many resumes in need of a lot of editing.

That being said, here are five tips to help you nail your resume to help you stand out among the crowd and land yourself a solid teaching gig:

1. It's all about the teacher training.

Well maybe not all … but a lot. In the professional yoga world, Yoga Alliance is the governing entity that has established itself as the main qualifier of trainings and teachers. What does that mean? It means when choosing your schooling it is in your best interest to check that it is registered with Yoga Alliance as an approved training, and be sure to submit your graduation certificate and register yourself.

It also means to make sure to list your RYT level on your resume clearly and without complication.

There are different levels that YA designates based on trainings (RYT 200, RYT 500, etc.) and CEUs (Continuing Education Units). While many teachers have taken extensive trainings and additional hours in all types of specialty topics, the 200 RYT and/or 500 RYT should be the clearest part of your resume, listed under Education & Certification.

It should simply state your achieved level, where you completed this training, and when you graduated. You do not want the hiring manager to have to search for this information! There are exceptions here — for example, the Anusara & Ashtanga trainings follow a different format than most others. Just be sure to clearly indicate the hours of training you have completed and the level at which you are certified with Yoga Alliance.

For example:

University of Michigan, BA - 2004

YogaWorks 200 hour RYT - 2009

2. Use discretion with selfies.

If you asked me five years ago I would have had a different answer, but let's face it — we've become an increasingly visual world in recent years. Instagram gives us a tiny box to say what we want to say and wait for those emoticon responses. Just try to be aware of how you present yourself in this very public forum.

With that in mind, I do think it can be helpful to add your photo to your yoga teacher resume. Should you be judged based on the photo? No way. But the picture gives the studio manager a face to tie to all the other information listed. I would advise to NOT use a glamour shot that belongs at a casting call, or even a selfie.

Instead, try a tasteful photo or a simple shot of you in asana. Some bigger gyms actually require a photo, so it is definitely helpful to be prepared and have one handy.

3. Mind your CEUs and make specialty training a priority.

So many trainings so little time and money! And I know you training addicts out there, you love your schooling and books and weekend-long immersions — these are great to add to your resume and show your teaching depth. Just like when listing your teacher training, make sure that these details are clear as can be: what, where and when.

For example:

Restorative teacher training with Jillian Pransky – 20 hours, 2011

4. One page goes a long way.

Be your own editor or find a friend, and remove any extraneous information that is irrelevant. Keep it organized, clear, bulleted and easy to read. In other words, limit your resume to one page only.

5. Other work experience can be relevant, too.

Certainly if you teach at other studios you will want to include those details, but other jobs you've had in the past can be helpful as well.

Illustrating that you are a professional responsible human is a good thing! If you previously had or currently have another job (as yoga teachers usually do) adding it to your resume can demonstrate that you are a reliable and driven individual, and also show your breadth. But I would suggest however, that the bullets you use to describe the job responsibilities relate back to why you'd be a great yoga teacher.

For example:

Responsible for recruiting and motivating staff

BONUS ROUND: