‘My research included enrolling in a summer law course, but I detested the learning-byrote and inability to question unjust laws’

by talking to them, and listen to their advice. It certainly worked for me.

My third suggestion is not to look for the one “right” thing but to search for something that simply piques your interest. If you know what you want to do, go ahead. The rest of us may need to gradually learn to love what we do.

You’ll know when you’ve made a good choice when a virtuous circle develops, where you start to enjoy it more as you improve – and your increased enjoyment levels, in turn, help to enhance your performance.

These days, there is also the possibility of summer internships – usually 10 to 12 weeks of intense work experience (paid at least the minimum wage, with a few exceptions). Many students try to find one for between their second and third years at universities; it’s a good idea, enabling both parties to “try before you buy”. But the whole process is stressful; it can be highly competitive to secure an internship and then the hours can be excessive.

As I was leaving a City event last summer, I found myself walking to the Tube station alongside a young attendee; she explained she was heading back into the office at the investment bank where she was interning. It was 9pm. When I questioned this, she said she never left before 1am. Six weeks into her internship, she was doubting whether this was for her.

Prestigious summer internships are not the be-all and end-all. With six other children in their 20s and 30s, I have seen many other ways to kick-start a career. One of my daughters took her university finals in the summer of 2020. She hadn’t a clear enough sense of her destiny to apply for internships the prior year, and when she graduated there was nothing available owing to the lockdown.

I suggested that she take a “gap year” to explore various online courses and discover what she enjoyed the most. After a few months, she decided to study for the Investment Management Certificate and found that she really enjoyed it.

With the help of the organisation Girls Are Investors she found an entrylevel position at a small, rapidly expanding company. From having “no clue” to starting a rewarding career within a couple of years.

So, I would tell the 18-year- old version of myself to take that leap into the unknown. I would advise her not to worry about getting it right first time, but to enjoy discovering new things and broadening her horizons. I would tell her not to over-stress about summer internships – there is more than one path to getting a foot in the door.

I realise that’s all easier said than done . Today, there is even more pressure, but there are also more opportunities and a more level playing field, thanks to the internet. It worked out for me, but there were many moments when it could have gone either way. So, keep talking to your friends, siblings, or parents, and don’t be shy about asking for their advice.

The most important thing at this stage is to develop skills that will be useful as the world and your chosen sector or company changes. No job is for life – and that’s good news, enabling us to grow and take on new adventures over what might be 50 years of work.

The world may be more complicated than when I started out, but the pace of change is such that today’s 18- year- olds have potentially very exciting career prospects and lifestyle choices that my generation really didn’t have.