Attracting and retaining professionals with the potential to become leaders is crucial for ensuring the success of companies. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the field of employer branding (EB) by identifying which employer brand attributes are perceived as particularly relevant for attracting talented people. Using three empirical studies, we identify brand attributes that have not been very widely diffused among real companies (versus ideal) but are relevant for attracting young professionals with the potential to become leaders. We also identify which brand attributes already present among real employees allow for attracting talented individuals versus the non-talented ones. The three studies are conducted with a sample of 493, 729 and 1605 recent graduates from Italian universities, respectively. The results indicate that the most idealized brand attributes are related to the future employers' ability to innovate, be committed to social responsibility, be open, be a corporation that values capabilities and knowledge and, finally, be a place offering different career paths. The last three factors in particular have become more important in recent years. The results are discussed with reference to how they contribute to our understanding of EB, brand management and the attraction of future leaders.