Most often the notion of «image» is associated with the creation of an artificial image that does not correspond to the internal content. But within the framework of this research the unity of the external image of the employment market and the internal environment of the employer is a pillar of success in creating an HR-brand. This article discusses a newly introduced notion in Russia as the employer brand. It is shown that having a strong HR-brand helps employers gain and retain a highly competitive position in the employment market and allows efficient implementation of modern business and HR-technology. It is noted that one of the key instruments of HR-branding is a promising adequate employer brand proposition (EVP). Such proposition gives the company a clear competitive advantage in terms of attracting and retaining talent. The article looks at the Russian and foreign methodologies of ranking best employers. The paper also analyses the findings of the widely known rankings of Russian employers. The conclusions have been drawn on the said findings. The study enables to define competitive advantages of the companies with a strong HR-brand. The paper also reveals the relationship between the employer brand and the factors which drive performance efficiency and underpin competitiveness in the market.