> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.freshtalent.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How FreshTalent works

> Search, Companies, Lists, Targets, and Monitoring — what each one is for, and how they connect.

Recruiters already have a one-off LinkedIn search. FreshTalent is what happens after: you keep the people, you pin the query, and you get told when someone actually moves.

The sidebar names are the product names. Use them.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Search finds people" icon="search">
    Natural language and filters compile to the **same query object**. Every response includes that object so a human or an agent can save and replay the search. Target discovery uses a different schema and is not an exact replay of the graph search. See [Search query compatibility](/api-reference/targets/create#search-query-compatibility).
  </Card>

  <Card title="Companies is the roster" icon="building-2">
    Browse teams, leavers, and role mix. **Current team** and **Recent leavers**. **Start company search** turns that into a Target.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Lists are the pipeline" icon="list">
    Stages **To contact**, **Contacted**, **Responded**, **Passed**. People on a List show up in Monitoring even if they are not Monitored on a Target.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Targets stay standing" icon="radar">
    A people search (**Start people search**) or a company (**Start company search**). Only people you **Accept** (filter **Monitored**) stay enriched and count toward slots.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

**Monitoring** is the feed of profile diffs on people you keep (List or **Monitored**). Email and Slack are configured in Settings → **Notifications** and can include anyone in the graph. Org, Team, and webhook URL live under [Settings](/guides/settings). API Keys is a separate sidebar item.

## The objects

| Object             | Id            | Dashboard                    | REST / MCP                               |
| ------------------ | ------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Person             | LinkedIn slug | Search row or dossier        | `GET /people`, `GET /people/:slug`       |
| Company            | key           | **Companies**                | `GET /companies/:key` · MCP `expand`     |
| Query              | uuid          | The filters behind a search  | `POST /queries`                          |
| List               | name or uuid  | **Lists**                    | `/lists` · MCP `collect`                 |
| Target             | uuid          | **Targets**                  | `/targets` · MCP `watch`                 |
| Event              | uuid          | **Monitoring**               | `GET /events` · MCP `events`             |
| Notification prefs | org           | Settings → **Notifications** | `/signals/preferences` · MCP `subscribe` |

Person ids are always LinkedIn slugs (`derek-morrow`), never emails.

## Compact vs full

Search (and MCP) returns a **compact** row so agents and list views stay cheap:

```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
{
  "slug": "derek-morrow",
  "name": "Derek Morrow",
  "headline": "FDE, Anduril",
  "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-morrow",
  "current": { "company": "Anduril", "title": "FDE", "months": 14 },
  "match": { "company": "Palantir", "months": 50 },
  "open_to_work": false,
  "between_roles": false,
  "exploring": false,
  "github_hireable": true
}
```

Open the person — or `GET /people/:slug` — for the dossier. `?include=coworkers,similar` expands one hop of the graph.

Availability in the app: **Open to work**, **Between roles**, **Exploring**, GitHub **Available for hire**. See [Availability](/guides/availability) for their sources and how AI exploration detection works.

<Tip>
  The echoed `query` on a search response is the filter language. Copy it. Do not invent Cypher or guess at field names.
</Tip>

## Who does what

| Job                                | Surface                                         |
| ---------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Source and pipeline                | Dashboard — [recruiter quickstart](/quickstart) |
| Agent runs the loop in Slack-speed | [Claude / Cursor](/mcp-setup)                   |
| Nightly sync to ATS                | [Events poll](/connect/ats-crm)                 |

## Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Search" icon="search" href="/guides/search">How queries compile and what you can filter.</Card>
  <Card title="Companies" icon="building-2" href="/guides/companies">Current team, Recent leavers, then a company Target.</Card>
  <Card title="Lists" icon="list" href="/guides/lists">To contact, Contacted, Responded, Passed.</Card>
  <Card title="Targets" icon="radar" href="/guides/targets">Find people, Accept, Start monitoring.</Card>
  <Card title="Settings" icon="settings" href="/guides/settings">Organization, Notifications, Profile. API Keys is separate.</Card>
</CardGroup>