You heard it here – I am in full job search mode. And interestingly enough, this green movement topic tends to follow me everywhere, including my job interviews. After deciding to stay in Northeast Ohio (my friends and family from the Burgh refer to it as reverting to the dark side), I sent out my resume like wild fire, which resulted in an interview last Friday.

By the time I tamed the nervous twitch in my foot, the interviewers and I were on the topic of the green movement and its affects on the PR world. What we discussed only increased my interest in the agency and elicited a new found understanding in the way public relations professionals should handle this sustainability trend.

The woman who I was interviewing with said that the agency is very careful about jumping on the green bandwagon because sometimes it just doesn’t make sense for its clients or their audiences. Even though some companies are a perfect fit for the green movement, others just don’t belong and their goals and objectives don’t mesh with the new trend.

I started realizing that this new “going green” initiative is like any other new trend. Just because it hot right now, doesn’t mean its right for you or your company. I mean skinny jeans are the new it thing in fashion, but it doesn’t change the fact that they make my behind look like that of a fat circus midget’s.

As public relations professionals, our job is to council our clients on what is right for them. This understanding comes from the first step in the RACE process – research, research and more research. Sometimes we may find that a Facebook page or a new sustainable product is perfect for a client’s audience or objectives, but other times we may have to revert back to our traditional tools. We don’t necessarily have to light up our torches of freedom, but a news release or special event may just be perfect for what an public relations agency is trying to accomplish.

The key to success is finding a happy medium between the new and the old. Because the green movement has become such a force in our society, companies and public relations specialists alike tend to leap before they look.

Just remember if it doesn’t fit, don’t wear it – or you could end up looking like a fat circus midget.