Add a hire

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

Annotations are all false and do not convey safety or idempotency, so the description carries the behavioral burden. It discloses that the tool creates a hire, returns an H-NNNN id, and normalizes the role to lower-cased and hyphenated form. This adds useful behavior beyond the bare schema.

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

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

Two sentences convey the core action, return value, required fields, role transformation, and related tools without waste. The most important information is front-loaded.

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

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

For a simple 3-parameter create tool with no output schema, the description covers inputs, return id, and next-step alternatives. Minor omissions such as failure modes or what happens with duplicate names are not critical given the tool's simplicity.

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

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

Schema coverage is 100%, but the description adds meaning by framing role as a 'grouping key' and indicating that name, role, and start date are the core inputs. It reinforces the role transformation rather than merely restating the parameter names.

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

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

The description uses a specific verb ('Add') and resource ('a new hire') and tells the agent the tool returns an H-NNNN id. It also distinguishes itself from related siblings by pointing to onboarding_task_add and onboarding_template_apply for follow-up work, so there is no confusion with list/progress tools.

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

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

The description names the relevant alternative tools and suggests when to use them after adding a hire. It does not explicitly state when not to use this tool or compare it directly to template_apply, but the context is clear enough for a create operation.

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