Hi YuckTheFankees,

You are right it does really depends on experience and where you are based. Some certificates are more popular in the USA than UK.

Not really sure about the a+

but other would be good depends on what you have done.

For example I have done Uni Degree what covered networking and Security so I would not do the n+ and S+ and I would rather do course like OSCP than ECH as its more hands on and I learn better that way.

I have not taken that yet but from there site

Pentesting with BackTrack is an entry-level course but still requires students to have certain knowledge prior to attending the class. A solid understanding of TCP/IP, networking, and reasonable Linux skills are required. This course is not for the faint of heart, it requires practice, testing, and the ability to want to learn in a manner that will grow your career in the information security field and defeat learning plateau’s. Offensive Security challenges you to rise above the rest, dive into the fine arts of advanced penetration testing, and “Try Harder”.

Again it really depends on what side of the pond you are on. I think some USA companies require you to have ECH. Where some companies in the UK don't value it they look for CREST and the Tiger scheme. OSCP will give you a lot of hands on experience and is meant to be very hard to pass so a good challenge too.

I don't think it particularly matters which you choose first. The OSCP is fairly specific and focused. You're expected to go out and learn more beyond the training but they do give you plenty of information. The CEH is very broad and covers a larger range of topics but will not give you as detailed/technical hands-on training. The CEH would be a better choice as a full introduction into the world of hacking in general. If you don't need that introduction, and already have an understanding of the big picture, then opt for the OSCP. When you're ready to explore more professionally, from a business side, consider the ECSA/LPT or the GPEN.