Yeah I think for the purpose of getting a job in any field that's worth working in you really have to network. My friend and I work for the same company, and I applied to another place in town. They never called me back, and he at some point had to do some contract work with them, and they liked his work so much they offered him a full-time job. He works there full-time now and my application is still sitting at the bottom of a pile, and we have the exact same qualifications.
Oh well.
/edit actually he doesn't have a degree or any certification. :annoyed: