Question of IT profesionals

I want to start a career in computer/networking security. After getting the A+ certification as a starting point, what path/certifications would those who are in the business go for. What are employers looking for in hiring new people?

Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated.

As a gen-u-ine computer perfeshunal, I agree with what >>7, >>8, and >>10 said. Smaller, anal-retentive, shitty companies you don't really want to work for are far more likely to whinge about certifications and degrees and that nonsense. What most "serious" high-tech companies are looking for is Clue, and that's hard to find.

Having a non-insane resume is also greatly helpful for separating the wheat from the chaff. (Pro-tip: most technical managers don't want to have to read twenty pages of fluff.)