In the glory days of the late 1990s, all a networking professional needed to do to enhance his or her pay or employability was to get certified, especially in Microsoft or relevant CompTIA programs -- the future pretty much took care of itself. With certification in hand, if a tasty raise wasn't forthcoming, credentialed IT professionals could simply hit the job market with the expectation that their prior experience plus certification added up to more than their current position was worth. Alas, that heyday is over. Network certification still has its benefits, but those who earn such credentials must know how to position themselves properly to ensure satisfactory treatment during hiring, annual review, or promotion processes in order to maximize the returns on their certification investments.