What To Do if You've Been Laid Off
As a working creative or someone working towards creative career, you might encounter a layoff at some point. This can be a pretty emotional and challenging experience, with your first thought being how you will make money, and the fear of the unknown since this big part of your life has disappeared. I totally get it, I’ve been there. I’ve been laid off 3 times my career and I’ve worked a little of 10 years now in the Entertainment industry. However, I've been able to bounce back and overcome these challenges in different ways. With recent layoffs in the entertainment and tech industries, I want to share my experience and some tips on how to come out better than you were before.
Understand that a layoff doesn't define you. Most of the time, a layoff is guided by a business decision, and it has nothing to do with your abilities as a creative. Separating yourself from your job can be difficult, especially when you have developed an attachment to it, worked hard, or put in long hours. However, it's important to remember that you are a capable creative, and your skills will still be needed in the future.
Although a layoff seems negative, it can lead to your biggest transformations in your career. I have had my most significant career transformations each time I was laid off. For instance, my first layoff was in 2012, where I was working as a creative coordinator for a production and post-production company. I was excited about the job because we were working with big names like Disney and Paramount. However, I was laid off because of budget cuts. Despite the negative experience, the layoff pushed me to re-evaluate my career and pursue design. I had never thought of designing as a full-time career, but after putting together a portfolio, I instantly received opportunities to work for different entertainment companies and ad agencies. Additionally, I wanted to learn coding, so I enrolled in an online class and within the same month, scored a job as a UI/UX designer and developer for a tech company working with Google and Microsoft. Although the layoff happened, it gave me the courage to know I could change my situation and come out okay.
The second time I got laid off was while working at Disney in a department called New Intellectual Property Development. We were developing new stories for the company, but the company was going through a major restructuring, and we were notified that layoffs were to be expected. Fortunately, we were given severance and Lynda memberships to learn new skills, and I used that time to start my own company, named HNTR. HNTR was a clothing and handmade accessories brand I started in 2016, and it was always a dream of mine to start a streetwear-inspired company. It was very fulfilling for me to make a product, sell it, and have people find value in it.
The third time I got laid off, I was working as an Imagineer in Research and Development for Disney. If you don’t know what imagineering is, it’s the segment of the Disney company that focuses on creating experiences. It used to just be the parks, but now includes their other lines of businesses. There, I was in charge of creative media and content development, so it was a strategic, producer-oriented role. Unfortunately, I was impacted mid-2020 because of the pandemic. Despite the difficult situation, I was able to navigate the layoff a lot better and decided to focus on myself and personal interests, learning Blender, Python, AI/ML, and starting my own YouTube channel.
If you encounter a layoff, here are some tangible steps you can follow:
Make sure you get and keep your official layoff notice as it'll be important when you go to your next opportunity.
Re-evaluate what you want out of your career. A layoff can be an opportunity to reflect on your career goals and what you want to achieve in the future. Take some time to assess your strengths and weaknesses, and identify the areas you want to improve. Use this time to explore new creative fields, try out different roles or projects, and learn new skills. You may discover a new passion or direction that you never considered before.
If you’re ready to jump back into the workforce, reach out to temp agencies. For some reason, they have a bad reputation, but all the agencies and recruiters I’ve worked with have been awesome. They have given me great positions with awesome pay, flexible hours, and arrangements. And they were at companies I never thought I would be able to work in. Also, some temp agencies offer benefits. Also, a side note, if you want to work in entertainment in the LA area, I would suggest going through a temp agency. If you search the official job board of a company, it’s very rare that the position posted hasn’t been filled yet. Usually, companies will go through these agencies as it’s easier to hire someone for a few months and see if they mesh with the team. Then, they could potentially offer them a full-time role as opposed to giving one upfront.
These next two tips deal with preparing for the next time this happens. The first is changing your mindset. I see a lot of people associating their identity with the company that they’re at. And that’s totally cool, I think it’s great to be proud of where you work. However, be mindful that it’s a one-sided relationship. Although you might have these feelings towards your job, the company has its own priorities, metrics, and goals to pursue. The relationship you have with them is purely transactional, so they give you money, and you produce. If you expect anything more than that, you might be disappointed.
The last one is to be prepared. If you don’t have savings, consider starting one, try to build up a nest egg, and if you want to open an investment account, you can do so really easily with Acorns and Betterment. The second part of this is to build something of your own, maybe an online presence or social media profile. This isn’t mandatory, but the reason I put this out there is that recruiting tactics have changed within the last 5-10 years, and there’s obviously an emphasis on social media profiles now than there was before. It lets recruiters and potential employers know how you want to communicate yourself and your work. This is important because most of what you do in a creative role is communicate a vision and direction with your team. So, if you’re able to do that clearly, it can open more opportunities. However, I know plenty of art directors, showrunners, and other creatives that don’t have social media profiles, and they’re doing amazing, so if social media isn’t your thing, that’s fine too.
In conclusion, being laid off as a creative can be a challenging experience, but it can also be an opportunity to reflect, grow, and explore new possibilities. Remember that a layoff doesn’t define you, and it’s not a reflection of your abilities as a creative. By taking some practical steps, like keeping your layoff notice, applying for government benefits, and networking with temp agencies, you can stay afloat financially and continue to build your career. Most importantly, use this time to re-evaluate your goals, learn new skills, and pursue your passions. With a positive mindset and some practical planning, you can come out of a layoff stronger and more resilient than ever.