How to apply for Associate

About Carol Cone ON PURPOSE

Carol Cone ON PURPOSE is a pioneering consultancy widely credited with inventing the modern purpose movement, helping global brands like CVS Health, Johnson & Johnson, and P&G align business strategy with social and environmental impact. Working here means shaping the future of corporate purpose alongside a team that literally wrote the playbook—and doing it in a fully remote, flexible environment that values both big-picture strategy and roll-up-your-sleeves execution.

About the role

As an Associate, you’ll be the operational and strategic backbone for client accounts, toggling between administrative coordination, in-depth research for thought leadership, and drafting communications that advance ESG and CSR initiatives. You’ll directly support senior leaders on high-stakes projects, ensuring that every deliverable—from media pitches to sustainability reports—is polished, on time, and aligned with the client’s purpose goals.

A typical day

A typical day might start with a quick team check-in on Slack, followed by an hour of calendar management and expense reporting for a senior partner. Midday, you’d dive into research for a client’s upcoming sustainability report, then switch gears to draft a media pitch or internal memo. You’ll end the day reviewing your task list, flagging anything that needs senior input, and proactively preparing for tomorrow’s client call.

Who Carol Cone ON PURPOSE is looking for

• 3+ years of experience in corporate social responsibility, ESG, sustainability, or purpose-driven communications, ideally at an agency or consultancy.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills with a near-obsessive attention to grammar, style, and detail—you catch typos others miss and can adapt tone for executives, media, and social channels.
• A proactive, self-sufficient multitasker who can seamlessly pivot from scheduling meetings and managing budgets to conducting competitive research and drafting strategic recommendations.
• Confident communicator who manages up, down, and sideways with discretion and poise, and who raises a hand for help without hesitation when needed.

Tips for this application

• Tailor your resume to highlight specific ESG/CSR projects you’ve supported—quantify results where possible (e.g., 'helped draft sustainability report that reached 10K stakeholders').
• In your cover letter, name-drop a few Carol Cone ON PURPOSE clients or campaigns (e.g., CVS Health's purpose work) and explain how your skills would support similar initiatives.
• Show you can handle both admin and strategy by including a bullet in your resume about managing calendars, expenses, or logistics alongside a bullet about research or writing you’ve done.
• Demonstrate remote-work readiness by mentioning specific tools you’ve used (Slack, Asana, Zoom) and how you stay organized and responsive in a virtual setting.
• If you have media relations experience, even tangential, call it out—it’s a plus and will set you apart from candidates without any PR exposure.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your passion for social impact and sustainability, backed by concrete examples of work you’ve done in CSR or ESG communications.', 'Your ability to juggle administrative tasks with strategic projects—highlight a time you managed a complex schedule while also contributing to a high-level deliverable.', 'Your writing prowess: mention a specific piece of communications you drafted (e.g., a blog post, report section, pitch) and the impact it had.', 'Your comfort with autonomy and remote work: give an example of how you’ve successfully managed your own schedule and prioritized tasks without close supervision.']

Research before applying

• Read Carol Cone’s book 'Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding' or her articles on purpose to understand her philosophy and the firm’s point of view.
• Study recent campaigns and reports from key clients like CVS Health, Johnson & Johnson, and P&G to see the type of work the firm does.
• Explore the firm’s website and social media to identify their thought leadership pieces, then note themes or gaps you could contribute to.
• Look up recent interviews or podcasts with Carol Cone to get a sense of her leadership style and the firm’s culture.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How do you prioritize when you’re supporting multiple senior team members with competing deadlines? Walk us through a specific example.
• Describe your experience with ESG reporting frameworks (GRI, SASB, etc.) or sustainability communications—what’s your familiarity level?
• Tell us about a time you had to quickly research a complex social impact topic and turn it into a clear, compelling summary for a client or executive.
• How do you handle receiving critical feedback on your writing or project work? Give an example of how you improved after feedback.
• Why Carol Cone ON PURPOSE specifically? What about our approach to purpose and social impact resonates with you?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn’t mention purpose, ESG, or Carol Cone ON PURPOSE by name—this firm is niche and will notice.
• Emphasizing only big-picture strategy without showing willingness to do administrative work; the role explicitly requires comfort with both.
• Failing to proofread your application materials meticulously—given the emphasis on strong writing and grammar, any typo could be disqualifying.