Doing an internship is a great way of finding out if you're suited to the job, and if the job is suited to you.  I found out about investment banks through friends, especially those that already worked in the industry, and through doing an internship.  The work you do is really very similar to when you're formally employed, so you know exactly what to expect.

Good contacts are invaluable.  My advice to a graduate would be to take every opportunity to learn and to network.  Make the most of the training programme, and network as best you can within the bank.

London is a great place to live and work.  London is such an international city where you can always find something new to do.

I love travelling.  Otherwise, museums, modern art, theatre, cinema and visiting friends keep me busy!

There's no routine to this job.  Everything changes and that helps to keep you motivated.  You don't know from one day to the next what new opportunities or challenges might arise, and to me that really plays a big part in continuing to both learn and deliver whatever is needed by our clients or internal requests.  The learning curve is incredibly steep.  I'm constantly learning about new products, and life is never boring as markets and products are constantly changing.

The uncertainty of working long hours can be a little frustrating.  It's important to be flexible.  There are times when the job necessitates working long hours or even over the weekend.  That can make it hard to plan ahead too much.