"Can you tell me about a failure in your past and how you handled it?" Immediately your heart starts pounding. With sweaty, shaky palms you wipe your brow, hoping to buy some time. The  hiring   manager stares at you, anticipation in her eyes. "Can't think of one." You say with a smile. There you go! Let them think you've never failed in your working life. Let them be impressed by your supposedly perfect record and hire you on the spot. Except most  hiring  managers won't buy it. On the off chance that you've never experienced failure in your career, you'll still be lumped in with the 99.9% of us who occasionally make mistakes. Instead of hiding behind false pretenses, it's time to open up and be honest. Having a vulnerable conversation about your previous failures can be challenging, particularly within the stress-ridden confines of a job interview. However, it doesn't have to be. Change your perspective; focus on the lessons learned ...