How do companies/employers view certifications?

I agree with Calhoun. Most companies will ask for certs but don't know what they are for.

I know that many like to see MCSE, and my personal opinion is because of the first letter in the acronyme: Microsoft...

The certs you want to have are the ones that are linked to your field. If you know that your going to work with Cisco equipment, get your Cisco certs, the same if your going to work in a Microsoft environement, you'll probably want your MCSE's....

Certs also show that your willing to sacrifice and have the determination needed to go thru with all the tests and stuff. It looks good to your employer, even thought they might not know what it means.