5, You will also gain insights into industry happenings through your regular contact with decision-makers, like-minded peers and training opportunities.

6, Because these networks are there to support not only their members (you) but mainly parent organization (your company), your involvement in a successful network project will lead to recognition and consequently, advancement opportunities.

7, Education and advancement. Company networks regularly offer skill-building opportunities through seminars, professional training sessions, and mentor relationships. Take advantage of all of them to advance your career and expand your knowledge base!

Here are a couple of tips to make most of your network participation

How to find RIGHT networking group?

Join one that not only has an active agenda but also boasts endorsement and personal involvement of a senior manager you respect and want to learn from.

One more tip in closing:

Before you join a networking group, make sure that you create a plan and in it define what it is that you want out of your network participation and contribute to your network accordingly.

Good luck networking WITHIN your company! Because internal company networks work with basically every level of corporate hierarchy, you will get exposure to and contact with major decision-makers within company.

These networks serve as bridges connecting a variety of professionals from all levels within an organization. By becoming a member of such networks, you will gain an incredible career advantage and will develop friendship, professional contacts, expand your knowledge base and, ultimately, benefit your career for a long time to come.

Actually, Bob's not-so-good-news story didn't stop there. Bob admitted to having followed losing Buy and Hope strategy through bear market of 2000 and had finally sold out at a 50% loss a year ago, before committing $10k to a mutual fund investment.

I was pleased to be able to tell him that my methodology had gotten my clients out of market before bear took his big bite, and they suffered only minimal losses before finding safety in money markets accounts. And when my trend tracking figures directed us to move back into market, they still had most of their money poised to start earning for them again—which it did and very nicely, thank you.

The moral of story is to look past surface and don’t take any numbers thrown at you at face value. Remember, most people returning from a weekend in Las Vegas will shout about their winnings and mumble about their losses.