Hollywood Took Your Job. The Holidays Can Help You Get Your Next One
Advice from a top industry leadership coach on navigating parties, family and awkward questions when your career is anything but jolly
Lacey Leone McLaughlin is president of LLM Consulting Group, Inc., coaching leaders across industries, including across studios and production companies. She previously wrote Female Execs’ Awful Truth for The Ankler.
To say this year in Hollywood has brought about a lot of change would be an understatement. The industry is still trying to settle after years of turbulence — strikes, restructures, mergers, platform shifts, budget cuts and entire business models consistently being reinvented. And with change often comes uncertainty, instability and sometimes unemployment or underemployment. It doesn’t help that 2025 was a particularly rough year, especially in Los Angeles, where unemployment now sits at 5.9 percent, 34 percent higher than the national average. You or certainly someone you know has been impacted.
Of course, unemployment is difficult at any time of year, but many would say it hits harder during the holidays, when celebrations, relatives and end-of-year check-ins highlight the gap between where you hoped to be and where you currently are. But what if we flipped that narrative? What if we thought of the holidays not as a painful backdrop, but rather as an opportunity, a moment to organically leverage the connecting, reconnecting and relationship-building you’re already doing anyway?
It’s true, being laid off hits differently during the holidays, especially in an entertainment and media landscape shifting nightly. You might feel behind. You might dread that inevitable question: “So… what are you working on now?” But with the right mindset, this season can be a powerful moment to reset your story, clarify your direction and strengthen your network in ways you might not during the frenzy of a typical production year.
This guide is for anyone navigating that space: people recently laid off, and writers, producers or creatives in transition. Your story isn’t stalled, it’s unfolding. And I’ll also have some advice at the end for what to say to those who are out of work that can put them at ease and offer support.
If You’re Out of Work…
1. Own Your Situation Without Apology or Embarrassment (You’re Not Alone!)
One of the hardest parts of unemployment is talking about it — don’t be afraid to say it out loud. Clarity in your goals and in your narrative about what you want to do next builds confidence. And confidence generates support. People who know your work want to help.
Use the downtime to reflect on what you want next and talk openly and confidently about your situation:
“I was recently part of a layoff, and I’m exploring roles in X. It’s giving me time to step back and think about where I can contribute most meaningfully.”
If you’re a writer, producer or creative between projects: “I’m in that creative reset phase and exploring new ideas and partnerships for the new year.”
In Los Angeles, where writers, producers and creatives reinvent themselves constantly, the narrative of being “in transition” is not a liability, it’s normal, it’s expected and it’s often the beginning of the next great idea, amazing new role, or future story you want to tell.
This is the moment to define your own narrative before someone else defines it for you. Don’t sit back and wait, figure it out and say it out loud.
2. Lean Into the Holidays as a Networking Advantage
As an extreme holiday fan (I love the lights, sounds, music, movies, smells — everything about this time of year!), one of my favorite parts of the season is the way it naturally brings people together: colleagues, mentors, old friends, new friends, former coworkers, industry contacts.
People are a bit lighter, happier and dare I say, maybe even jolly. With that, they’re more open, conversations are less formal, and most are genuinely willing to help.
This makes the season a uniquely warm networking window, one that doesn’t require forcing anything. The connecting you’re already doing naturally can become meaningful professional momentum if you approach it with intention.
The magic of holiday networking is subtle:
People are sentimental
People reflect more
People are generous with their time
People feel good about helping others and what to end the year on a positive note
So, reach out, reconnect, share what excites you about your next chapter. Ask for advice, not a job. Check-in on what others are working on. And give back if you can. Don’t underestimate how much people appreciate a warm note, a thoughtful question or an update from someone they enjoyed working with.
This time of year magnifies that power. You have your narrative, you’re connecting with people — now make it work for you.
3. Craft a Clear, Confident & Forward-Looking Narrative
Your narrative is your foundation. Craft the message people remember and repeat on your behalf when someone they know has a role that could be perfect for you. Your narrative should be:
Short
Clear
Honest
Future-focused
For example, if you were recently laid off, something like: “My team was affected by layoffs, and I’m taking this moment to find a role where I can contribute more strategically, ideally in production operations or development.”
For creatives: “I’m developing new material and exploring options heading into the new year.”
The clearer your direction, the easier it is for someone to say: “I know a producer hiring for exactly that.”
4. Show Up — Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
The back-to-back events, dinners, and drinks combined with unemployment can make you want to hide, stay home, dodge conversations and avoid gatherings. But showing up, especially during the holidays, creates unexpected openings. So get up, get dressed and get there.
When someone asks, “What are you working on?” pivot with confidence:
“I’m exploring new opportunities in the industry and getting clear on where I want to focus next.”
“I’m between projects and using the downtime to write, create, and reconnect.”
“I’m looking for the right next step and excited about what the new year might bring.”
Then shift the focus to them:
“What are you working on right now?”
“What’s energizing you right now?”
“Any new projects you’re excited about for next year?”
Again, get up, get there and be curious. Curiosity builds relationships, and relationships build careers. Don’t forget to follow up within 48 hours with a brief, warm note.
5. Use This Transition Period to Invest in Yourself
Don’t forget about your development. During transition, we often get consumed by our to-do lists, but your personal and professional growth should be part of that list. Being unemployed gives you something incredibly rare and valuable: time.
Time to:
Update your résumé and online presence
Strengthen your portfolio
Take classes or earn certifications
Write, create, or build something
Volunteer or support organizations you care about
Join writer groups, alumni networks or industry meetups
Read, reflect, and reset
Even a single investment, one connection, one class, one project can unlock momentum.
Think about the New Year as your launching point. January brings momentum. Teams rehire, budgets refresh, productions restart, executives return with new priorities and new openings.
As January approaches, remember:
Your holiday conversations will matter
Your outreach will matter
Your clarity will matter
You’re laying the groundwork now to put yourself in motion when the industry revs back up.
You are not alone, and you’re not stuck. Unemployment is hard, it’s hard for everyone impacted, but it’s not a dead-end. Not in this city. Not in this industry. And certainly not during a season that brings people together. Use the holiday season to reset and connect.
Lean In. Reach out. Show up. Invest in yourself. Own your story. Take one small step. Your next opportunity may come from a holiday conversation you almost didn’t have — so make sure you have it!
Hollywood has always favored the bold, so this holiday season be bold in your pursuit of what’s next for yourself.
A Word of Advice for the Employed
If you’re one of the fortunate ones happy in your job and still working, how you show up for those who are not matters, but don’t overthink it. Unemployment can carry quiet shame or embarrassment, and that often happens when the topic is avoided altogether. Do what you would normally do, keep extending invitations to holiday gatherings, dinners, walks and coffee, whether someone is working or not. Ask real questions, and most importantly, listen without rushing in to fix or minimize. You don’t need to be perfect — a simple acknowledgment, inclusion and presence go a long way. Invite, listen and support in whatever way feels natural and genuine.
Remember to look people in the eye, make time for conversations and be exactly the kind of person you would want to encounter if the shoe was on the other foot. (Remember, odds are high in this dynamic industry that one day it might be you.)
Most of all, please have some fun and rekindle meaningful connections.
Cheers to all of you.
Ankler Guide: When You’re Between Jobs
 | A guest post by
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“I’m developing new material and exploring options heading into the new year.”
Seriously?
Who speaks like that.