To Certify or to not Certify

This is a East Coast type question, but I am orginally from Orlando but have been living/working in CA for the last 6 years as an IT Manager w/ no mcse or any Microsoft certifications, now that i’m ready to go
back to Orlando, it seems that they look for more MCSE certified folks, should i kick down for the material and take the tests
to satisfy them, even though I have hired
MCSE’s and they really knew only the “Book” technology not the real hands on that I’m use to.

It doesnt seem right that folks ask for mcse’s when in most cases, others who do not have the Certifications really know more than them.
thanks for any advice.