People are people, and for whatever reason, each one has his or her individual biases. The topic here is not whether it exists, but instead, what you can do to rise above it and sell yourself for the job. Armed with knowledge that you could be discriminated against for anything ranging from age to weight, race, education-level or physical handicap should empower you to try harder to break the potential boundaries. So, instead of letting these issues hold you back, acknowledge their existence and figure out what you can do to better insulate yourself from them.

Whether you believe it or not, the biggest problem with age discrimination you may encounter is internal. Ever heard the quote, "You get what you look for"? Employers readily pick up on feelings of defeat, self-doubt, and negativity. These feelings will always lead to rejection of a job seeker regardless of their age, but can painfully resemble age discrimination. You must protect yourself from negativity at all costs and put your focus on what you can do for the company, not what might hold you back.

Consider these strategies for positively positioning yourself:

1. Recognize that when making a hiring decision, employers want to know they are selecting qualified, results-oriented team players. The higher level of work ethic and reliability among mature workers is to your advantage. Focus on demonstrating attendance rate, performance level, and commitment to a long-term career.

2. Revamp your resume. Resumes have changed significantly in the last several years. Do not date yourself with an old format.

3. Do not include your entire work history on your resume. Regardless of your age, employers want to know what you can do for the job, not your entire history. Consider going back a maximum of fifteen years. Include dates on the employment positions you list. Leaving dates off clue an employer that you may be hiding something. An employer may be able to determine your age in an interview, but by then you will have earned the opportunity to sell yourself face-to-face on skills, not age.

4. Take a serious look at your professional image. Is your hair and clothing in-line with the work culture you are targeting? A hair cut or new suit can work wonders on your presentation and self esteem while removing any sign of an outdated look.

5. Avoid being defensive about your age. A positive, self-assured attitude that your age will not make a difference is the strongest weapon you possess. Remember, not winning a job offer could have to do with a wide variety of reasons besides your age. If you do not win a job, keep looking. The perfect position is always around the corner.

6. Develop a strong support network. All job seekers need support to stay motivated. The more employment groups and networking events you participate in the more feedback you will receive on your interviewing skills and the more positions you will uncover.

7. Consider volunteering a few hours a week or suggest performing the job free for a day to demonstrate your capabilities.

8. Avoid referring to issues regarding the generation gap. Do not make the mistake of talking negatively about the work ethics of the young. You will appear inflexible, closed-minded and unable to work on a diverse team.

9. Take a hard look at your education level. Do you have too much or too little? In today's market, if you do not possess basic computer skills you are in trouble of becoming obsolete. Now is the perfect time to take a class or brush up your skills.

On the other hand, as painful as it is to consider, you may appear over-educated. Recently, a six-figure executive in quality assurance came to us to determine why he was not getting interviews. Everything he was doing was on track, so we strategized that his Ph.D. might be frightening employers off. Removing the degree from his resume resulted in immediate job interviews.

Regardless of how you feel inside, enter the market convinced you can win.