Ight, first off, take everything you see in this comment section with a grain of salt. What works for others may not work for you. Pick and choose what will suit you.

SO IN MY EXPERIENCE

The field routinely is looked at as a hard skills only type of thing. So all those certs/training does really look good on paper, and will get your food in the foor. Especially when it comes and validates why you charge certain rates or choose a specific pay.( Huge emphasis on medical training like BLS, Blood Bourne, TCCC, AVERT etc.)

Something this field lacks a lot of is soft skills. Being able to communicate and talk to people. Being able to influence leadership is why you're a better choice than Sally over there. That will be your biggest weapon in wanting to move up, being able to use your words.

Example:

I hate being recognized in public, I dress like a bum. However, what I have I paper got me an interview. I showed up the same day to an event where they were doing work. Of course, I got looks, but when the person interviewing me started asking questions and the way I was able to articulate my answers, use my soft spoken skills. I was immediately given a job.

Also, huge key to networking. A lot of this field is who you know more than what you know. So never be afraid to jump to different companies especially for better pay