PEOPLE SKILLS GROW IN IMPORTANCE FOR TECHNICAL STAFF - 97 % of chief information officers (CIOs) polled recently said they look for well-developed soft skills - communication abilities and business acumen - when hiring information technology staff. This represents a 12-point increase from a 1996 survey in which CIOs were asked the same question. The survey was developed by RHI Consulting (www.rhic.com) and includes responses from 1,400 CIOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with more than 100 employees. Responses to the question: "When evaluating a job candidate for an information technology position, how important are 'soft' skills (business acumen/interpersonal skills?)" Very important= (68%); Somewhat important=(29%); Somewhat unimportant=(2%); Not at all important=(1%).

When asked what the single most important people skill for a job candidate to possess, the responses were: * Interpersonal skills=33% * Written or verbal communication skills=27% * Ability to work under pressure=21% * Overall business acumen=14% * Professional image=2%. (Masie #64 TechLearn Trends, 27 Aug. 1998)

PRICE OF HOME PCs PLUNGE - The price for a home PC, which broke the $1,000 mark just 18 months ago, is now tumbling below $400 - well within the reach of the average U.S. family. Micro Center, an Ohio-based chain of 13 stores, began selling a $399 PC under the Power Spec label earlier this month, and PrecisionTec LLC, a PC maker based in California, has introduced its Gazelle machine for the same price. The low prices don't include computer monitors, which usually start at about $150. Analysts at ZD Market Intelligence are saying the low prices will spark a surge of PC-buying among households with incomes of less than $30,000 - a segment that so far has been difficult to reach - and that PC penetration should reach close to 50% of U.S. households by the end of the year. (AP 21 Aug 98)