What positions does Network + certification prepare one for?

Speaking from my own experiences only -

The Network+ Certification builds greatly on the A+ Certification.

My own job, a Technical Product Specialist 3, requires that I be very familiar with the hardware and software in a PC, and also the methods it uses to access any application or destination that can be reached thru the network cable.

The A+ and Network+ Certifications do not fully prepare me to be a Network Administrator, for instance in a Windows or Unix environment. It also does not prepare me to administer a Router or Switch.

It does allow me to readily know where a problem most likely would be and how to verify it is a Network problem, versus a PC problem. It does allow me to know it is a Network problem and to isolate which part of the Network it is most likely in. For instance, if I know that a Router is positioned near the CSU/DSU where our Network connects to the Internet, I know that I can use the Ping utility to verify connectivity at different points along the path and know it is 'in the Internet cloud' or it isn't getting to our border router.

I also know that if I want to pursue further studies from a particular vendor, such as Cisco or Microsoft, I have a very good foundation to start with and I should have an easier time of it.

So I would say 'advanced IT support', or Tier II or III Helpdesk would be job titles you could look for. I would also say that in a smaller organization, you could become a Network Server Admin or a Router Admin, provided there were experienced people to mentor you. In larger organizations, they tend to have separate personnel to perform Admin duties on the Servers and Routers.

hope that helps

Thanks