Employer Branding with Substance – How a Munich-Based Company Realigned Its Employer Brand

Qualified talent is in short supply across many industries.
That’s why it’s more important than ever for companies to position themselves as attractive employers — especially across digital channels, where top talent is looking for their next opportunity.

Closing the Gap Between Internal and External Perception. The way a company sees itself as an employer doesn’t always match how candidates perceive it. In many organizations, only about 20% of incoming applications are actually a good fit for the roles they’re trying to fill. Last year, a Munich-based service provider took this as a reason to take a closer look at its employer brand.

The process began with a workshop led by Munich-based brand specialist Hans Albu Sanmiguel, Managing Director of SANMIGUEL. Employees from HR, marketing, and leadership, as well as younger team members who represented the company’s ideal talent profile, came together to reflect on the company’s true identity as an employer. They asked key questions: What’s the company’s vision? What sets us apart from other employers? What’s it really like to work here? The team also defined what future employees should bring to the table, what makes them tick, and how best to reach them across digital channels.

A New Career Website, Built to Attract the Right Talent. The outcome was a completely new career website, fully separate from the corporate site.

Here, potential candidates now find Clear engaging headlines, Q&A sections, Employee portraits as well as The top reasons to join the company.

These elements showcase what future employees can expect — whether they’re students, graduates, or experienced professionals.

Building a Consistent Employer Brand Across All Channels. To build a strong employer brand, companies must connect all their activities in a way that creates a consistent experience across both digital and physical touchpoints.

Why Employer Branding Matters More Than Ever. Employer branding — the practice of building your reputation as an employer — has become more important than ever, as qualified talent becomes harder to find in many industries. Today, it’s companies that need to pitch themselves to top talent — not the other way around. The goal is to establish yourself as an attractive employer, making it clear to both applicants and employees what your company stands for and what sets you apart. Done right, this strengthens both Your recruiting efforts as well as Employee loyalty and retention. Digital Touchpoints Are the New Front Door.

For many — especially younger talent — a company’s career website and social media channels are the first point of contact. That means your online and offline activities must align, creating a seamless and credible brand experience. It Starts With Internal Clarity. “Applicants and employees want to identify with the company. They want to believe in what they do and feel it’s meaningful,” says Birgit Krüger, Managing Director of consense-communication, a Munich-based agency. But first, you need clarity about your own employer identity. “Companies need to continuously ask themselves if they truly live what they claim to stand for,” Krüger adds.

Authenticity Is Key to Successful Employer Branding. If a company promotes itself as family-friendly but has very few fathers taking parental leave, there’s a clear disconnect between claim and reality. That’s why current employees should always be involved in shaping your employer brand — for example, through employee surveys or workshops. “Authenticity is everything when it comes to successful employer branding,” says consultant Birgit Krüger. This applies to your company values just as much as it does to the photos and videos you use to present your brand. “No one believes a supermarket trainee happily rapping in front of the vegetable aisle,” Krüger explains. “It feels forced.” The same goes for employees who are dressed up in costumes or reading scripted lines for a corporate video — that kind of artificial staging misses the mark.“It’s much better to show your employees as they really are — in their real work environment,” Krüger advises.

Which Message Belongs on Which Channel?

Once you’ve defined what your employer brand stands for and who your ideal candidates are, the next step is to choose the right communication channels—starting with the most important one: your career website. This serves as the primary touchpoint for potential applicants, shaping your employer identity while offering key information such as current job openings, ideal candidate profiles, possible career paths within the company, online application options, and direct contact details.

Social media plays a crucial role in activating your employer brand and amplifying broader branding campaigns by engaging your audience where they already spend time. Facebook works well for casual updates that blend professional and HR-related content, while Instagram is ideal for behind-the-scenes glimpses into company culture, such as snapshots from events or everyday office life. YouTube serves as an excellent platform to share career videos originally created for your career website, extending their reach and impact.

When it comes to actual hires, most candidates still come through traditional online job boards like StepStone, Experteer, or Monster, followed by career websites. For targeted outreach, platforms like Xing and LinkedIn are invaluable for finding and connecting with potential candidates. Depending on your audience, you might also consider in-person recruiting activities like career fairs or university lectures.

When it comes to actual hires, most candidates still come through traditional online job boards like StepStone, Experteer, or Monster, followed by career websites. For targeted outreach, platforms like Xing and LinkedIn are invaluable for finding and connecting with potential candidates. Depending on your audience, you might also consider in-person recruiting activities like career fairs or university lectures.

Employer review sites like Kununu or Glassdoor are also critical.“Many applicants check these reviews for what they believe is insider knowledge,” explains Hans Albu Sanmiguel. Most platforms allow companies to respond to feedback, giving you the chance to address negative comments and protect your reputation.

For the Munich-based service provider, the employer branding effort paid off. The click-through rate on their career website is significantly higher than before. But more importantly, the applicants they attract today are a much better fit — both for the roles offered and the company itself.

Conclusion

A strong employer brand is essential today to attract and retain top talent. The keys to success? Authenticity, targeted communication, and the seamless integration of digital and real-world channels. Companies need to position themselves as employers of choice — and while it takes time and effort, the long-term payoff is undeniable, as the Munich service provider’s success story clearly proves.