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everyone, if you are serious about a job in IT, you will need a degree of some sort. also, it will look good if you knock out a couple of easy certifications. Security+ is child's play, Network+ is alright but you might as well study straight for CCNA (right around the norm for expectations of new employees), if you can get a CCNP (very respected), or even a CCIE (very very respected) companies may even contribute to your education funds.
but, the grand master cert's that will really put your name out there, are the CEH, and the CISSP (companies will pretty much blow you to work for them). these are not easy to study for, and they are expensive. thus why recipients are put on a pedestal.
The following certifications are extremely hardcore, and in my opinion should give you a lot more respect if you manage to get them than the CISSP or CEH, but whatever, the certs I'm talking about are the OSCP and OSCE from offensive security. You actually have to have fun to get these, and by have fun, I do mean fuck shit up.