You have seen the headlines: Unemployment rates are at unprecedented heights. In recent weeks, 43 states have hit jobless rates higher than at any point since the government started keeping records 40 years ago. And this is most likely an undercount, since the federal survey includes only those actively looking for new positions.

Given the current employment landscape, transitioning servicemembers, veterans seeking opportunities, and military spouses may find the entrepreneurship track an attractive alternative to traditional employment. Veterans are 45% more likely to be self-employed than non-veterans, according to the Small Business Administration.

And many will find success along the way.

"The dedication, sense of duty, and knack for preparation and execution of procedures common to all former servicemen and women translate to an excellent business sense,” said Rikki Amos, executive director of the International Franchise Association (IFA) Foundation. The group sponsors VetFran, an organization that assists transitioning veterans with franchising opportunities and educates franchisors on the skills veterans can bring to the private sector. 

[RELATED: COVID-19 and the Franchise Sector: How Veterans Can Weather the Storm]

One way to find the right business opportunity for you is to research industry trends. One example: As more and more consumers shopped online during the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon began ramping up its delivery services. And it wants American military veterans to be part of the solution.

A recent Military.com article by Blake Stillwell outlined the training available to veterans interested in starting their own delivery company and contracting their services to Amazon. To learn more, visit Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner Program Website.

Building Your Team

As your business grows and expands, you may need to hire a workforce.  Although many servicemembers may have been leaders, managers, and supervisors, their subordinates were provided via the assignment system as opposed to a rigorous screening and interview process allowing them to select the right candidate. As you become a business owner, here are three things you want to determine when conducting interviews:

1. Can they do the job? Find out whether they have the technical skills, along with the required education, certifications, training, and experience, to successfully perform the work. A couple of screening questions include: What will you bring to this job? Where do you see the potential gaps between our requirements and your skills/experience?

2. Will they do the job? Just because they can do the job doesn’t mean they will give you the level of effort you desire. To help you determine whether they will perform once selected, you may want to ask: Why do you want this particular job? What about our company appeals most to you? 

3. Are they a good fit? During the interview process, impressions are often formed about the candidate's professionalism, confidence, and competence through eye contact, posture, listening skills, and casual conversation. It sounds simple, but you can learn a lot about the potential candidate through an open-ended question like "So, tell me about yourself?" You can learn even more through follow-on questions they may ask you about performance in the position and the suitability of the work environment.

As a business owner, you can often provide additional training to help employees attain the technical proficiency needed to be successful, but you never want to compromise or settle for a candidate who doesn’t exude the passion and enthusiasm for the open position or adhere with your company culture and values.

Get more advice on both sides of the hiring process, as well as other tips on franchising and self-employment, at MOAA's Transition and Career Center.