Allen Shen2014 Rising Alumni
Allen Shen has advanced business sales, marketing, and communication in key Chinese markets. In his first year with Chauvin Arnoux, he increased sales by 40% in the Hong Kong and Tai Wan areas. Allen has also managed advertisement, creating original designs for print and web. He currently manages the company's website, tailoring e-communication to his customers. While interning with the Minnesota Trade Office, he helped organize Governor Mark Dayton's trade mission to China. Allen served in the U.S. Army Reserve 407th Civil Affair Battalion.
Employer
Communication Manager
Chauvin Arnoux Group
CEHD Degree
What is your favorite University of Minnesota memory?
It was a great honor to be the CEHD commencement student speaker in 2011. I met so many great people and friends at the U. They really paved the way for me to lead a successful career later in life. I was also always impressed by how much all the U's student organizations could offer students.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to become the next Jackie Chan.
What gets you excited about work?
Knowing that I can deliver changes to a company or community.
Outside of your job, how do you grow professionally?
Keep learning new knowledge and new skills. Keep networking and meeting different people from diverse professions and fields. Who you know is sometimes more important than what you know. Try to help others achieve their goals, because one day it will come back to you
What skills are important to succeed as a young professional today?
Social skills. You have to reach out to people and network if you want to succeed nowadays. Let them know who you are and what values you can deliver. You may be very talented, but if no one knows about your talents, it will not make any difference.
Adapt and learn. We are living in a world where more new technologies and ideas are coming out than ever before. We have to be able to adapt ourselves to the future if we want to succeed. If you stop learning new things, you might be phased out very soon.
Presentation skills. Whether interviewing for a job, making a sale, or presenting an idea, how you deliver the message is often more important than what you will say. For example, if you are trying to make a sale, remember that no one likes a salesman, but everyone loves a solution provider. Don't try to sell something until you know you can deliver great value to other people. People tend to remember what you can offer instead of what you want to take away.
Global perspective. We are now competing with people from all over the globe. That means getting out of our comfort zone and embracing cultures around the world. 70% of the market is outside of the United States and almost all big firms have a global presence. The future will belong to those who can look at the big picture and think on a global scale.