•The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between corporate social responsibility, employer brands and reputation.•Investing into CSR and employer branding leads to beneficial outcomes since the linkages are proven to be positive.•Organizations that put effort into CSR and brand activities are recognized for it and this effort in turn affects their reputation.•Respondents assign good reputations to organizations that are perceived as socially responsible and with a good employer brand. Reputation management requires coordination between internal understanding and external expectations (Cornelissen, 2011). The focus of this study were external expectations of potential employees. The main goal of the study was to contribute to the understanding of corporate reputation and its connections with perceived corporate social responsibility and employer brands. All three concepts were investigated amongst 550 senior college business students. The units of analysis were top twenty national organizations, rated according to a syndicated study on employer attractiveness. The results show that students assign good reputation to those organizations that are perceived as socially responsible and with a good employer brand. Reputation, at least according to our results, seems to be the umbrella concept that encompasses both perceived corporate social responsibility and perceived employer brands. Organizations that develop different strategies, policies and practices with regards to socially responsible behavior and nurturing employer brands have higher levels of perceived reputation among students. Additionally, students' perceptions and position on the list of the most attractive employers is consistent.