You've invested time and effort in creating a great resume. Now it's time to get it working for you. The goal is to get it into the hands of the right people”people who can make or influence the decision to hire you.

Depending on where you are in your job search, you may be contacting employers directly, making connections through networking, or surfing the net for opportunities.

Here are tips for marketing your resume at different stages of your search:

• Write effective cover letters. Learn why thoughtful, well-written cover documents are essential and expected, and view samples of these documents.
• Network your resume. Here are guidelines for distributing your resume effectively and appropriately in a variety of networking situations.
• Distribute your resume at job fairs. Job fairs are special events with their own rules for networking and distributing resumes. Learn what to expect.
• Post your resume wisely. It's tempting to focus on popular job boards like Monster. But watch how much time you spend posting at these sites.

Next, learn how to make the most of the Internet to help market your resume.