If lay off is not the best, but must be one of the best

excuses to hunt a new job, especially when the entire department is winding down.

What you need to work on is effectively delivering a message that your previous company didn't work out strategically and had to rethinking about shifting to a field that would no longer need your skills. For example, the organization had redundant personnel because they initially wanted to develop new markets, now they gave up such ambition for some reasons, so they decided to keep senior staffs and let all the junior staffs go. There is nothing wrong on your side to lose your job.

My point is you have to be sincere, brief, confident and comfortable. Don't give interviewers an impression that your are desperate, anxious and feeling guilty. No one likes to work with an emotionally immature person.

Some organizations actually favor out of work candidates for their immediate availability and less bargaining attitude when negotiating compensation.