It depends both on the company and on the role. Certs can be important for contract/services work, so if you're looking at a company that bills people out to c

It depends both on the company and on the role. Certs can be important for contract/services work, so if you're looking at a company that bills people out to clients, and that would be your role, you'll probably needs certs, as some clients (e.g. government) require them. If you're looking at joining an internal security team at a company -- even a big one like Visa or Intel -- the certs tend to be less important. Plenty of people, as you move up the management chain, have certs, but usually because the employer footed the bill. My evidence is anecdotal, obviously, but everyone I know who's joined an internal security team got the gig based on skills and experience. None of them had certs. (And the offers I've received myself weren't based on certs, since I don't have any!)