<quote from Chris URL>

1. Solid background in Operating Systems (Admin level experience in
Windows/*nix - preferably with some certs in this area such as an MCSE,
RHCE, SCSA, etc)
2. Solid background in Networking (Admin level experience - preferably
with some certs in this area such as a CCNA/CCNP)
3. Solid background in Programming (comfortable with languages like C,
Perl, Python, Ruby, SQL, etc - some documented work on an open source project might be a good resume stuffer for this)
<end of quote>

Necessary ethical hacker skills, the starter edition:
TCP/IP
OS basics for M$ and the *IX distro of your choice
Internal network basics (switches, hubs, firewalls)
A sense of humor (preferably dirty but manic is also acceptable)
External network basics (routing, IP, interaction with internal networks, etc)
Relationship between services, ports, and how exploits work
Washboard abs
Some familiarity with coding (not expert, but can muddle through)
Understanding of general web application construction (front/back end, etc)
A WOW account (maybe EverQuest if you roll like that)
Some level of business sense (need to explain business impact of your findings)
A comfort level with your skin tone being 3 shades more pasty than your racial peers

Chris,
Well done, I will capture some of them in here
That's what i like about security it consolidates the above knowledge together or it makes you think out of the box if i can use this words in here. that is think differently about the systems/networks/applications you are trying to run/manage. In brief it is approcable from all different angles, just work your way through from the angle you love most

A sense of humor (preferably dirty but manic is also acceptable)
Washboard abs
A WOW account (maybe EverQuest if you roll like that)
A comfort level with your skin tone being 3 shades more pasty than your racial peers