I had a conversation with a client yesterday that stuck with me. His new resume is creating a buzz, so we're preparing for upcoming interviews. One of the questions I asked (in our mock interview session) was about times that he failed. 
 

He called a time-out and wanted to know why interviewers ask about this. “Are they trying to trip-up their candidates?” “Do they only want to hire people who say they have never failed?” I explained the reasoning to him, and wanted to explain it here, for others who may be wondering the same thing: 
 

While it may seem counterintuitive to talk about failures during an interview, showcasing how you have overcome challenges and learned from mistakes can actually make you a more desirable candidate. Employers want to see that you possess self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to grow from setbacks. By discussing a time when you failed, you can demonstrate your willingness to take (calculated) risks, and learn from your experiences. This can give hiring managers valuable insight into your problem-solving skills, how you handle adversity, and how you react once you see signs of stalls and failures. Being able to talk about the-opposite-of-success in a positive and constructive way can set you apart from other candidates who will shy away from discussing their shortcomings, or worse, claim to have never failed at all. 

Use these questions as an opportunity to showcase how you're willing to move the needle and create important shifts. Remember, it's not about the failure itself, but how you rebound from it and move forward.

One caveat - it's important to pick the RIGHT stories to discuss, which is why going through a mock interview with a professional coach is a really good idea. Call me! I'll take away all your interview confusion.