Tips for applicants 

As a minimum, we normally only require that you send through your CV or LinkedIn profile. You may not be sure Alma is the right place for you or have doubts that your skillset matches what we are looking for, and we don’t want to discourage you from testing the waters.   

That said, if you already know you want to work with us, consider also sending a cover letter as well as other material supporting your application – this will increase the probability you are invited to the next stage of the recruitment process.  

We expect your cover letter to lay out what you can bring to the table. We are also interested in hearing what your ideal career path looks like – where you see yourself in ten years, and how you envision your journey there. If your background does not directly link to the advertised position, we expect you to provide the reasons behind your interest in it. We appreciate applicants who write clearly and openly about the reasons they would like to join.  

A boilerplate cover letter will probably not do your application any harm – at the very least, you show you can string together a few paragraphs without incident – but it won’t help much either. Someone who is genuinely enthusiastic about working with us has a clear advantage. 

Supporting material could be papers or reports you have written, presentations you have delivered, blog posts or other forms of media and think pieces such as videos and podcasts. We are looking for evidence that you can carry out insightful analysis and communicate clearly in English. 

We look beyond the superficial, but presentation also matters. A well-presented application including a CV, cover letter, and supporting material shows effort, good taste, and an ability to communicate effectively. Typos and formatting inconsistencies can really stick out and make it seem like you applied without paying enough attention, which is not a good look. Overt formality is a negative, so keep it simple instead. 

One final thing: your application will be reviewed by people who respect the time you put into preparing it. We do not use automated software to sift applications, and we always respond to every candidate as soon as our assessment has been completed.