This depends on the country doesn't it? Usually for a job in country X,
it's best to get a certification from a good organisation in country X.
And even a small amount of actual experience is worth several
certifications.
May be, i don't know about different country preferences, But
brainbench is not a standard certification to go for, I just went for
it when I was just out of my college hoping it could add a great value
to my resume. But it doesn't add any value, no body actually knows
about it, I was asked what is this Brainbench in almost all
interviews... So I finally took it out of my resume :-(.
If somebody wants to show their language and technical skill then I
think writing their own tools and making it free source may add value,
Since it shows that the candidate possesses most of the skills
required for a project development.
~Jack