Past your prime? Hardly. Then why can’t you get a job?

You're over the hill. The gray in your hair is no longer the minority. You're still not too sure what HD means. The senior discount at the movie theater is within you're reach. And you've just lost your job.

After years of hard work, you're thrown back into the job market and there's no way in hell you're retiring. Things have most certainly changed but that doesn't mean the countless hours you spent slaving away are going to go to waste. You can compete with all those whippersnappers and their smart phones.

This situation is becoming more and more visible in today's society. Just because people are older doesn't mean they don't have bills to pay. More mature employees are putting themselves back on the market, sometimes working for people young enough to be their grandchildren.

In a survey conducted by the AARP, 27 percent of workers age 45 and up said the economic slowdown made them postpone their long-awaited plans to retire. Likewise, 76 percent of men and women of a certain age intend to keep working and earning in retirement.

A lot of older workers getting back into the market haven't needed to go job-hunting in decades so it can be an intimidating place, full of tweets and texts. But if you keep your skills up-to-date and know the trends, experts say there's no reason to fear. You just need to do a few things before taking on the young guns.

Show 'em what you got

Richard Citrin is a career executive coach who knows how hard it is to get back on the saddle. Just over a year ago, he lost his job after more than a decade of service. At the age of 58, he reinvented himself and pursued his career dreams, just as he had encouraged others.

"Whether you're 22 or 62, it's all about the value you can bring to an organization," says Citrin. "Determine what a company needs and how you can transform yourself."

Kiki Weingarten, executive, career and corporate coach and co-founder of dlcecc.com, agrees with Citrin. She says that you can't think about this new job hunt as a fresh start. You have years and years of work under your belt and with that work came years and years of knowledge.

"People have no idea of the skills that they have," says Weingarten. But that knowledge alone isn't going to cut it. You need to make sure that you're continuously learning. Social media has become a staple in our ever-changing society. And to function efficiently in this world, you need to have some kind of smarts on the subject.

The father-daughter-duo of Meagan and Larry Johnson, authors of "Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters. Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work" (AMACOM, $16.95), know just how important it is to be tech-savvy.

"It can harm you if you don't know what you're doing," says Meagan Johnson. "It can help you because it can show an employer that you've kept up your skill set."

Her father remembers an older way of doing things.

"Marketing is everything," says Larry Johnson.

Now how you market yourself is through social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.

"Get over the pride and ask younger people to reverse mentor you," says Meagan Johnson.

By learning these skills, you're not only making yourself more valuable to any company but also expanding your professional network at the same time.

Change is good

Putting some pictures of your family vacation online isn't enough. You need to specifically tailor the skills you've learned over extensive years of work to the particular job you're going for. Weingarten says that a good place to start is making a list of all of your skills. That way, you know what your strong suits are and what you can improve on.

Citrin thinks that there are three main things you need to do before grabbing a new gig. One, know yourself. Two, know your values. Three, have a strategy to make it all happen. If you map out where you're going before setting off, you'll have an easier time not losing sight of your goals.

Take a little time and spruce up your resume.

"Take out any dates that reveal your age," says Meagan Johnson.

Her father agrees and knows how important it is to think before describing an experience you've had. Using the word "groovy" is a surefire way to date yourself. Take a little time and update your look as well. If the last time you restyled your hair was high school prom, you might want to spend a little cash and go to a salon.

Confidence counts

"You look at people who are tremendously successful," says Citrin, "and they don't peak until their 60s or 70s."

Don't think of your age as a handicap. The knowledge you've accrued over the years is priceless and companies know that. You just need to show them how that knowledge is going to benefit them.

The senior discount can wait a few years.