From teaching on a idyllic island in Thailand to assisting on trainings in India, working overseas as a yoga teacher overseas is a dream for many. Yet, there is often fierce competition for these jobs, so you really need to think about how to present yourself when you apply. Read on to learn how to carefully craft your application email, and increase your chances of landing a teaching job abroad.

Email Wisely

Almost all of the teaching jobs calls require that you apply via email, which means that you have one shot to make a great impression and effectively convey your yoga skills and personality. The first thing is to always read and re-read the job ad and note down all the things that they want you to include in your email. Commonly this can include things such as a short bio or cover letter, several yoga photos, your location and nationality, links to your social media, a C.V (resume), availability, years of teaching and personal practice.

Try and make it not all about you but instead show the employer how you can make a difference to their business. What can you bring to the shala? How will their guests benefit from your teachings?

Remember to attach several photos. If they haven’t requested photos, I would recommend sending two quality images over that show your asana practice. You don’t have to be doing a handstand scorpion, even something like a simple seated lotus can be powerful and effective.

Finally, make sure that you double check your email for spelling and grammar errors. You can ask a friend to proof-read, or you can use a free editing tool such as Grammarly to find and fix any errors.

Check Your Online Presence

Love it or loathe it, social media can play a huge role in swaying potential employers to pick you for the job. This doesn’t mean that you have to have an enormous following, but an active account which displays your love for yoga will act in your favour for every job application that you make. When done properly, an Instagram account can display your asana practice, teaching style and flair.

If using you’re using social media for personal reasons only and don’t want employers to see it, then make sure that you set your accounts to private.

Offer Something Extra

You can really stand out from the yoga crowd by offering a little something extra when you are applying for the job. Almost all employers are looking for some help with marketing their business. You don’t have to be a social media expert, but if you know how to write a good article, take photographs or even make a video then you can also offer these services.

Work on Your Skype Skills

If an employer likes your application, the next step will be to arrange some sort of video call interview. Make sure that you double check the time difference so that you have the correct meeting time. You should also test out your Skype/FaceTime/Messenger video so that it is all working properly and you are ready to go. Then, make a note of any questions that you think they may ask, and also write down some of your own questions that you would like to ask during the interview.

Just Do You

You’ve probably heard of the saying, “be you, everyone else is taken”. When it comes to applying for job and online interviews, just be yourself and let your unique personality shine through. Don’t feel Like you have to squeeze yourself into the package of a ‘cookie-cutter’ yoga teacher. Be honest and be yourself. Good luck!

Do you have any extra job application tips that you’d like to share? If so, leave them in the comments section below. Namaste.