First get qualified in what you are currently working in unless you think its highly specialised and don't want to stay in that area.
Then you a choice between getting qualified in what you would like to work with in the future and getting qualified in what might get you promoted in your current position (they may be different). Do you want to be be programmer or work with infrastructure
Qualifications do count, they don't prove you actually know anything but generally you won't get a foot through the door no matter how much of a guru you are in real life
Microsoft qualifications are useful and relatively cheap (as in £90 per exam + books)
ESX is very nice too but thats a £1500 course + exams
Cisco stuff is good but its somewhat of a speciality