swild wrote: » If you have 4 years of IT experience, all you need is Mike Meyers's Network+ All In One. I wish he had higher level books, because I loved reading both his A+ and Net+. I self studied and passed on the first try using just his book. Google is great for anything you need clarification on. Employers like experience. Period. However, certification CAN show that you know what you are doing. Passing the test isn't enough. You will need to be able to answer questions about the technology.