Aswin Ram Kodappenkandi - Start-up Case Study

Aswin Ram Kodappenkandi graduated from LJMU in 2024 with an LLM International Business, Corporate and Finance Law. Originally from Kerala, India, Aswin had worked for more than ten years in legal practice and banking legal roles before coming to Liverpool. After starting his career as an Advocate, he later moved into banking, where he worked mainly in secured debt recovery, mortgage recovery and litigation, eventually progressing to Senior Manager (Legal). He now works at Bond Turner Solicitors in Liverpool, as an Enforcement Fee Earner.

Can you describe what a typical day in your role looks like?

My day-to-day work involves progressing housing disrepair enforcement matters within the team. I review settlement terms and case information, follow up on outstanding damages and costs, request rent statements and proof of offsets, and communicate with landlords and their solicitors.

I also prepare Part 8 proceedings and applications, consent orders and witness statements for solicitor review, help prepare matters for hearings, and make sure the actions taken on each matter are properly recorded on the case management system.

I currently do not have independent conduct of my own caseload, so the work is done under supervision. What I like about the role is that it has given me much more exposure to the procedural side of UK legal work and to how enforcement matters actually progress in practice.

When did you start your job search? Did you only apply for graduate roles in the UK, or did you also apply in your home country/elsewhere?

I had already started looking at opportunities while I was studying and also completed a short legal internship in Liverpool during the course. My job search became much more serious once I knew I had successfully completed my master's.

My focus was on finding work in the UK. I did not apply for jobs in India or elsewhere at that stage. I was not limiting myself only to jobs advertised as graduate roles either. I was looking at legal, banking and related roles, but I also became open to entry-level opportunities because I realised that getting relevant UK experience was going to be important.

How long did it take from first applying to receiving an offer?

I started applying seriously after I knew I had successfully completed my master's in October 2024, and I started at Bond Turner in May 2025. So, it took around seven months of serious job searching. Around the same time, I started working at an Amazon warehouse. I needed an income and initially I was also saving towards the cost of applying for the Graduate visa. Once the visa was sorted, I continued working there while applying for professional roles around my shifts. During that period, I attended around six or seven interviews and received a large number of rejection emails.

I applied to Bond Turner towards the end of April 2025 and interviewed in May. I was initially unsuccessful after the interview. Shortly afterwards, I was contacted again when another position became available. Jenna, who had interviewed me, had remembered me and felt that I might be suitable for the team. I started at Bond Turner on 27 May 2025, so while Bond Turner’s process itself happened quite quickly, getting to that point had taken several months of applications, interviews and rejections.

How did you find your role, e.g. job board, LinkedIn, networking, or something else?

I used a mix of different approaches. I regularly checked LinkedIn and Indeed, used Google to search for vacancies, attended networking events, and periodically checked the careers pages of firms and organisations I was interested in. The Bond Turner vacancy itself was one I found through LinkedIn. I tried not to depend on one particular source because vacancies could appear in different places, so I kept the search fairly broad.

How did you handle visa conversations with employers? Did you bring it up yourself or wait for them to raise it?

When I applied to Bond Turner, I already had the Graduate visa and therefore had the right to work in the UK. So, sponsorship was not something I needed from them in order to take the role at that point. I dealt with my immigration status when it came up during the recruitment and right-to-work process rather than making sponsorship the focus of the interview.

From my own research, I also understood that Bond Turner did not normally offer sponsorship. I was still happy to take the opportunity because, at that stage, gaining relevant UK legal experience was more important to me. The Graduate visa is time-limited, though, so sponsorship has naturally become a much bigger consideration when I look at future opportunities.

What was the biggest challenge you faced as an international student during your job search, and how did you overcome this?

For me, the difficult part was that several things were happening at the same time. Professionally, I had come to the UK with more than ten years of legal and banking experience in India, including senior-level responsibilities. I found that the experience was often acknowledged, but I did not always feel that it translated into the level of opportunity I might have expected based on my previous career.

I cannot say why individual employers made their decisions because most rejection emails do not give that kind of feedback. But over time I realised that I had to become better at explaining what I had actually done in India and how it related to the job I was applying for here.

One thing I became more aware of during my job search was the use of Applicant Tracking Systems and the importance of keeping a CV clear, well-structured and tailored to the requirements of the particular vacancy. I may have come across ATS while I was at university, but I do not think I fully appreciated its importance until I was actively applying for jobs.

There was also the practical side of being an international student. During term time there were restrictions on how much I could work, and after finishing the course I was working at Amazon, managing normal living costs, dealing with the Graduate visa and continuing to apply for professional roles at the same time. That period was stressful, but I kept adjusting my CV, practising interviews and learning from the applications that did not work out. Eventually, that led to the opportunity at Bond Turner.

Did you use any Student Futures services at LJMU and if so, how helpful were they?

Yes, I used the one-to-one support available through Student Futures. We worked on my CV and discussed how I could present my previous experience more effectively for the UK job market. We also did interview preparation and mock interviews, which I found particularly useful. Sometimes you know that you have the experience, but explaining it clearly when you are under interview pressure is a different skill.

I did get shortlisted for interviews during that period, although I was not successful in securing those particular roles. Looking back, the preparation still helped because I became more confident and much more aware of how I was presenting myself. The support I received was definitely part of the process that eventually helped me become better prepared for opportunities such as Bond Turner.

Is there any support you wish had been available to you that wasn't?

I think international students would benefit from understanding how recruitment in the UK actually works much earlier in their course.

One thing I became more aware of during my job search was the use of Applicant Tracking Systems and the importance of keeping a CV clear, well-structured and tailored to the requirements of the particular vacancy. I may have come across ATS while I was at university, but I do not think I fully appreciated its importance until I was actively applying for jobs.

I also think there could be more support for people who already have substantial professional experience from another country. A job title or responsibility that is easily understood back home may not mean the same thing to a recruiter here. Knowing how to explain that experience in a UK context is important.

The other area is visa planning. It can be difficult to know which employers are genuinely open to international graduates, which roles may realistically lead to sponsorship later, and when that conversation should be raised.

I think more practical guidance bringing these things together would help students make better decisions from the beginning.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started your job search?

I wish I had understood earlier that having experience and being able to make that experience relevant to a new job market are two different things. When I came to the UK, I had already spent more than ten years working in law and banking. Initially, I probably expected that experience to speak for itself. Over time I realised that an employer here may not immediately understand what a particular job title in India involved, how much responsibility came with it, or how it relates to the role they are recruiting for. I had to learn to explain the experience rather than simply list it. If I had understood that earlier, I probably would have spent less time worrying about individual rejections and more time thinking about how I was presenting myself for each role.

Any tips you would pass on to current international students thinking about working in the UK after graduating?

I would say start early. Do not wait until graduation to start understanding the job market. Use the careers support available at university, especially one-to-one CV sessions and mock interviews. I found both very useful.

Do not use exactly the same CV for every job. Read the job description properly and make it easy for the employer to see why your experience is relevant. It is also worth understanding how online recruitment systems and ATS work, particularly if you are applying to larger organisations.

If you already have professional experience from another country, do not assume the job title alone will explain what you did. Explain the actual responsibilities you had, the decisions you made and the kind of work you were responsible for.

I would also say not to take every rejection personally. Repeated rejection can be frustrating, but sometimes it takes a number of applications and interviews before you understand what is working and what you need to change.

Finally, your first role in the field you want to build your career in may not be at the same level you were working at before coming to the UK. That can be difficult to accept if you already had an established career. But from my experience so far, getting relevant UK experience can still give you something to build from.

Support from the Student Futures team 

If you want to talk about potential careers options with your degree, need help finding opportunities or want support with your CV, application forms or preparing for an interview, you can get advice and guidance by booking a 30-minute 1-2-1 careers meeting with a Careers and Employability Adviser from the LJMU Student Futures Team.  You can also come along to a Careers drop-in, which take place weekly at the Careers Zones for quick careers queries.

If you are thinking about starting a business, freelancing, pursuing a side-hustle or have an idea that you want to explore further, email the Start-up Hub and a member of the team will be back in touch, or visit the Start-up Hub website.

For help finding part-time, temporary or casual you can fit around your studies, email the Unitemps team or visit their website.