My problem was I was a late grad.  I have been doing major pc (apple work in the beginning 

 ) since 1983.
I was online and overseas prior to the internut.
My profession was banking though, at 12 my dad hauled me to work in my free time to learn about mortgages and secondary marketing.
I progressed during my Engineering education (high school internships that did sprinkler systems in a few multimillion dollar projects here...but screw that) then Pharmacy education (7 years focused in Zoology) still I was doing Mortgage work.  By 23 I had a house, freaking excellent income which only recently I surpassed.  All the while I was doing major IS/IT work for these companies as side ventures to help myself/team be more efficient.
Finally I got tired of hearing I have no certs, no comp. degree.  So I went back to school, sold off a lot of stuff, took a major paycut in 1999.  Got my comp sci degree.  Did a few worthless jobs that I quit, a couple good ones that petered out...kept working.  
Now I am with a fortune 500 Mortgage company, but in their IS department.  I was part of still the biggest loan sales ever in the history of banking (directly responsible and hands on), so I know a lot of stuff.  Got a 13% raise my first year here, most got at most 4%...plus I am being challenged daily instead of being looked over.
Getting a degree is a big part of it.  Certs have a bigger wieght in the beginning...get experience that you can put on your resume (e.g. not doing work on the side unless you are reporting it as a small business).
Currently my employer sent me an email telling me the 'classes' they want to pay for me to go to.
I got a book list to pick from to, with a link to the expense report sheet. 
 
all in all I think if you have motivation and drive, and do a good job the people above you that you make their lives easier will notice you.
My wife's company just had a problem where 5 associates were fired, another 6 told no longer needed due to theft.
She took a pay cut for less responsibility, and may now get a bigger raise for the same job.