I find myself in what appears to be a dead end position with not a lot of opportunity for advancement. I have been applying for positions without a lot of success for getting interviews. Should I finish getting my college degree or should I get some additional certifications? The ones I have now are a little dated. What is the best way to go on this?
-- Via the Internet

Getting a college degree (even an associates degree) is a good thing but I disagree that not having a degree should disqualify a someone from being considered - although with some technical degrees on the horizon specifically targeted at the networking/technology arena, I might one day reconsider.

As to the certifications, I would look at the requirements in the jobs you're seeking. See what certifications are being asked for, either in terms of job requirements or what the company with the opening would prefer to see in the candidate. Keep a tick sheet listing the degrees you find and then start counting up each time you find a reference to the degree in a position opening.

Once you have a list of "desirable" certifications, look into their costs, both in terms of study materials and the cost of the exam itself. Some certifications may require more than one exam and may only be good for a specific number of years when some type of recertification requirement will need to be fulfilled. You will need to look at how to study for the certification works best for you. If you have the self discipline, then going the self study route. If you need someone working with you to help you learn, look for the classroom based options for getting the certification.

In addition to the certifications from companies such as Novell, Microsoft and Cisco, keep your eyes open for other certifications from areas such as security or e-commerce. Some of these certifications may not take multiple exams to acquire and just might distinquish you enough from the competition to get that interview and possibly an offer for the position.