open-greenhouse-mcp

list_applications

Fetch applicant records with filters for job, candidate, status, and creation or activity dates. Use it to answer questions like 'show applications for this job' or 'what came in this week'.

Instructions

List applications with optional filters. Read-only.

Users say "show me applications for [job name]" or "what came in this week." To filter by job: list_jobs → find by name → use its job_id. To filter by candidate: search_candidates_by_name → candidate_id. For pipeline views grouped by stage, use pipeline_summary. For stale candidates, use stale_applications or candidates_needing_action.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`cursor`	No	Opaque cursor from a previous call's `next_cursor`, to fetch the next page. When set, all other filters are ignored — they are already baked into the cursor.
`job_id`	No	Filter to applications on this job
`status`	No	Filter by status: 'active', 'rejected', or 'hired'
`paginate`	No	'single' for one page, 'all' to auto-fetch every page	single
`per_page`	No	Results per page (max 500)
`candidate_id`	No	Filter to applications for this candidate
`created_after`	No	ISO 8601 datetime — only applications created after this
`created_before`	No	ISO 8601 datetime — only applications created before this
`last_activity_after`	No	ISO 8601 datetime — only applications with activity after this

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedv0.6.0Sep 2, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / cursor

Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "default": null,
+  "description": "Opaque cursor from a previous call's `next_cursor`, to fetch the next page. When set, all other filters are ignored — they are already baked into the cursor.",
+  "title": "Cursor"
+}

removedInput schema / properties / page

Removed value: -{
-  "default": 1,
-  "description": "Page number (starts at 1)",
-  "title": "Page",
-  "type": "integer"
-}

First observedv0.5.0Aug 1, 2026

TDQS

A4.7/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden and it explicitly states 'Read-only,' which is the key behavioral trait for safe invocation. It does not discuss pagination or cursor behavior, but those are fully documented in the input schema and no destructive behavior is implied.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the core purpose and read-only note, then provides compact trigger examples, ID-derivation steps, and sibling routing. Every line earns its place and there is no filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 9-parameter filterable list tool with an output schema, the description covers purpose, safety, natural-language triggers, parameter derivation, and alternative tools. The remaining details (ISO formats, pagination flags) are already fully documented in the input schema.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3, and the description adds value by explaining how to obtain the foreign key values: list_jobs to find job_id and search_candidates_by_name to find candidate_id. This is workflow knowledge not present in the schema.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description uses a specific verb and resource — 'List applications with optional filters' — and immediately marks it read-only. It also distinguishes itself from sibling tools by naming pipeline_summary, stale_applications, and candidates_needing_action as different views.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It gives concrete trigger phrases ('show me applications for [job name]', 'what came in this week') and explicit routing: use list_jobs/search_candidates_by_name to get IDs, use pipeline_summary for stage-grouped views, and use stale_applications/candidates_needing_action for stale candidates. This is clear when-to-use vs alternatives guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.