It wasn’t until the fall of last year that I began to worry about finding a job. I had always felt confident that my skills and hard work would eventually lead me to a strong career after college. Occasionally whispers of “recession” and “unemployment” would awaken a few butterflies in my stomach, but they were easily dismissed. With two solid internships under my belt, good grades and language skills to boot, I obviously had nothing to worry about. Job hunters would be vying for my attention when the time came, wouldn’t they? I soon found out just how wrong I was.

Our generation has a new evil to face in the job market, and it’s not the economy. It’s our age.  Ageism is a culturally constructed attitude that permeates our daily interactions in ways that are sometimes too overt to ignore. To many potential hirers, a young age spells out one thing— inexperience. Too many times have I witnessed a completely qualified, ambitious individual turned away from an entry-level job in favor of a more senior candidate with a graduate degree. In an ideal world, shouldn’t these older candidates be placed in the higher positions for which they also qualify?

In my personal experience with two internships, I was often disturbed by the way my peers treated me. Others will adopt condescending or patronizing tones when speaking to a younger hire, as if subject matter must be simplified in order for us to understand it. I have encountered anger from older hires when I am given more responsibility—and what for? We are tasked to do the jobs which we are qualified for. Clearly, something is amiss in the working world.

Many of my peers share this sentiment. Monica, 23, recently entered the job market after graduating with a solid 3.7 GPA in business studies from New York University. While she managed to land an impressive position with a bank in New York City, she felt discouraged from the start among her colleagues. “I felt like my age held me back. As the new hire, I was assigned the most menial tasks. I felt that I did not have the proper standing to voice my ideas. My initiatives were not recognized, and I felt as though I was working as an intern rather than a budding professional.”

Monica and I have no doubt that our years are putting us at a disadvantage. As students preparing to leave the academic world behind, we must all be ready to face this kind of discrimination with our heads held high. Age discrimination against the young is real and it is becoming increasingly relevant. According to a study by The New York Times, the unemployment rate for 20-24 year olds was 13.2 percent in April 2012. Compare this to the Department of Labor’s reported statistics for older age groups:  the unemployment rate was 6.3 percent for workers aged 25 to 34 in September 2012, which in turn was almost double the 3.9 percent unemployment rate for employees 55 and older. The proof is in the numbers.

As graduation approaches, we feel immense pressure to cover our resumes with a list of impressive achievements and skills that may be unrealistic for us to have so early in our careers. Some scramble to balance multiple internships with a full course load out of fear for their prospects, while many others have opted out of the job hunt altogether, convinced that a graduate degree is a requirement for success. In the process of doing so, we are undermining our potential and feeding into the notion that one needs years in order to gain respect.

The solution lies in our attitudes, and in our awareness. Ageism is a force to be reckoned with, and we must acknowledge how it affects our daily interactions. We must work to build the perception that our generation is qualified, innovative and hard working by refusing to settle.

And so, to my fellow graduating class, I say this: Continue to aim high and have the ambition to apply for the jobs for which you are qualified. Practice assertiveness in the workplace. Have the courage to suggest new ideas and voice your expectations. Demonstrate your education; it’s something older employees may have begun to forget. Most importantly, utilize your individual skill set with confidence. Each of us has something unique to bring to the workforce.

With our actions, we can remind firms that younger hires bring creative energy, fresh perspective and willingness to break new ground, traits that are indispensable in a slouching market. We’ve worked hard to begin molding ourselves into the successful professionals of the next generation, and we deserve nothing less than the best.