Advertising Operations Coordinator Natalie Willis can usually be found running around the office in a flurry of activity, but I managed to talk her into sitting still long enough to give me a glimpse into what a normal day looks like for her at the office.

What communication medium helps you the most during the day?
The most helpful communication medium is my phone. If I need to communicate something short and concise then email if effective. However, most often I find myself typing what seems to be a novel before I pick up the phone to communicate with our vendors and sales representatives about ad sales and production.

What do you reach for when you need an afternoon pick-me-up?
When I start feeling a little tired and my eyes glaze over it's time for a coke, a good stretch and brisk walk around the office. That usually does the trick.

What three software programs do you use every day and could not live without?
I've been using Magazine Manager for over a year to track ad sales and materials. I processed over 1000 ads in 2008 using the software. What a difference it's made. Before, I was using excel spreadsheets to track all the miscellaneous information required to keep up with insertion orders and ad materials. Now it's all contained in a contact record and I can easily find out where to place ads or who to bill. Don't get me wrong, I still love Excel. Since I'm not a designer or writer, I use excel as a creative tool. I enjoy making my reports look pretty with all the formatting features available in excel. My favorite program is Adobe. The ability to create and edit pdfs is a must for my job.

What's your favorite on-the-job responsibility?
My favorite on-the-job responsibility is processing a BPA audit, of course!!! Just kidding. What I enjoy most is forecasting and tracking ad revenue as well as creating useful financial reports. Recently, I acquired several production responsibilities that are proving to be an exciting challenge to my daily routine.

What is the last thing you do before you leave the office every evening?
The last thing I do before I leave is make sure I don't have any last minute urgent email or voice mail. If all is clear, I clean my desk, then I take the mail down. Once I'm in my car I think about what I neglected to finish that day. Once I'm home I usually check email at least once before a new day begins.