Client-Based Learning as a Catalyst for Women’s Early Career Success

This study examines how course-embedded client-based projects (CBPs) support women’s transition from college to early career roles in marketing and related fields. Grounded in possible selves theory and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) career readiness framework, this mixed-methods research investigates how CBPs influence women students’ hoped-for, expected, and feared professional selves, along with their perceived development of key competencies such as communication, teamwork, and professionalism. Quantitative survey data and in-depth qualitative interviews explore links between CBP participation, confidence projection, and self-efficacy for job-seeking, onboarding, and early advancement in gendered workplace contexts. Findings illuminate how authentic client work can narrow the gap between students’ current and envisioned professional identities by activating accessible, plausible future selves, and reinforcing career readiness skills. The article offers pedagogical implications for designing CBPs that intentionally cultivate women’s confidence, agency, and persistence in pursuing leadership pathways.