"I would rather hire someone with a little less experience and technical skill who is a great communicator and people person than an expert who cannot relate to people or is rude and arrogant. If you have the right base skills, you can always learn the technical stuff. Learning the people stuff is not so easy. "

YES, YES, YES!!! The only thing I would add is a willingness to learn as well. Give me someone who though maybe a bit less technically adept has decent customer skills and a teachable attitude and I'd hire them over a whiz kid nearly every time.

That said, it's also possible to teach people skills, though it is a much different and arguably tougher process.