I'm new to the blog writing world but have been in the networking industry for several years now.  When I got started back in 2007, I was working my first job after graduating college and was recruited into a communications role, fresh out of the help desk, which I had landed the year prior. Cisco's career certifications program literally picked up where schooling left off and helped me find my career passion and carve a path.  So here following, I'm going to givemy top five reasons for certifying and continuing to climb Everest.

1. As the saying goes, "You don't know what you don't know". When you learn on the job, it's one thing to get something implemented but it's another to truly understand how it works.Certification forces you to go back and fill in the knowledge gaps.
2. It can be financially rewarding.  It may or may not happen right away but it will payoff in time. I look at it as an investment in yourself and in your future.
3. Learning to evolve.It's inevitable that the landscape is going to continue to evolve and at an ever rapid pace.Cisco updates their exams accordingly so you can keep up with the industry. The CCNA I took in 2007 and 2013 were reflective of that.
4. The more you learn, the more you learn what you don't know. The difference in this reason from above is that not only do you fill in gaps but you begin to ask yourself questions that you never knew to ask before.The deeper you go, the more you discover.
5. Recognition for your efforts.  Don't do it only to fulfill an employers requirement but do it for yourself, even if your employer doesn't require or see the value yet. You've accomplished something very challenging and probably had fun in the process.Hanging that newly framed cert in your office is icing on the cake.

I hold Cisco certifications in high regard not only for providing excellent training for supporting Cisco products but for first and foremost providing a firm foundation and platform on which to grow as a network engineer.  I'm sure I missed some of your top reasons so please post them in the comments and I look forward to learning from the community here.

You can follow me on Twitter at @roesnet.