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if you have no knowledge then you won't pass the certification test.

unless of course you take those boot camps which basically give you the answers. But once in the real world, if you don't know, it will become apparent.

A good mix of the 2 would help you go along way, 1st thing would to get your foot in the door, then take the cert. Hope all goes well for you as i know how hard the economy is, it's took me 4 months with a MCSE and over 5 years doing the job.

The original idea of certs was to put an industry accepted estimation of the value of your knowledge, no matter how accrued. Unfortunately they beacsem a vehicle for gaining that knowledge. Simple economics guaranteed that turned into to just enough knowledge to gain the cert.

In answer to your question, if you can get a related job and part time the way through your cert do it.
You get the cert muppets and the people who are more impressed with experience on board.
That wait a year is more like people suddenly realising without gaining formal recognition for what they know, they're liable to be doing this crappy job forever.

It was many many many moons ago but I got my first IT job in support at twenty four. I'd started a correspondance degree to get out of an even crappier job (data entry clerk). I continued to diploma level while in supoport and moved to my own choice development once I got it.
Learning is good, learning to apply it, is the key though, and you aren't going to do the latter in the classroom.

Well asking which to do first, i.e. experience or cert, is like asking "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

As the other posters have indicated, it takes BOTH to be well rounded and successful in the field; as far as which order you do them in depends on the opportunities available to your situation. So don't stop hitting the books if you don't have any opportunities for experience at the moment. Keep hitting the books while you continue to look for experience building opportunities.

First, if I received a letter like the one that you've sent, I'd probably just file it too, but a personal appearance may make a better impression and may be taken more seriously. Free labor for a shop may sound like a good idea on the surface, but the reality is it may COST more time to babysit and spoon-feed an inexperienced intern than a ma/pa computer shop can afford. Through a personal introduction, perhaps you can convey that you'll be a self-starter, will not be training to take away their business by eventually starting your own shop, and will be a help and not a hinderance to their own time.

There are other ways to donate labor and/or gain experience. A lot of us started by working on "friends and family" computers. I can't tell you the number of times someone offered me dinner or drinks to come over and "look" at their computer. I'm glad they don't ask that much any more, but at the time it was a good (good, not great) experience builder.

Non-profit organizations are great places to donate labor, as they're always looking for handouts; are there any Churches or local non-profit Organizations you like to work with? Canvass those in your area and see if you can donate your time to some area non-profits. Are there any schools you can volunteer at to help turning computer labs?

So keep hitting the books and think of more creative ways to network with those that can help to build experience; and when you to land some way to build experience, don't stop with the books.

Good luck!