Most recruitment and sales software treats the API as an afterthought. A handful of read endpoints, a CSV export, and a support ticket queue where integration requests go to die. That assumption made sense when agencies had one system of record and a bookkeeper. It stopped making sense the moment AI assistants became a normal part of a consultant's day.
Kolvera offers REST API, MCP, CLI and webhook interfaces for documented workflows. Check the current developer documentation for available actions, authentication and permissions rather than assuming every interface exposes every UI action.
Why an API matters more in 2026 than it did in 2020
The economics changed. For a recruitment agency, that shift is practical rather than theoretical: the consultant who can ask an AI assistant to enrich 40 contacts and build a hot list is working at a different speed to the one clicking through screens.
The constraint is data access. An AI assistant is only as useful as the tools it can reach. If your CRM has no machine-readable interface, the assistant is reduced to summarising what you paste into it.
MCP lets compatible clients call documented Kolvera tools. Review the current catalogue, account access and action costs before asking an assistant to run a workflow.
MCP: the recommended path for most teams
Follow the current MCP setup guide for the selected client. Complete the supported sign-in flow and confirm which account is connected before authorising actions.
Client setup and authentication differ. Use the current instructions for the client you choose rather than copying one token configuration into every application.
The catalogue includes tools for several Kolvera workflows. Describe a bounded task, inspect the proposed action and confirm required inputs and costs; an assistant selecting a tool does not guarantee a correct result.
Skills: packaged workflows with approval gates
Raw tool access is powerful and slightly dangerous. An assistant with enrichment tools and no guardrails can spend credits enthusiastically. Kolvera's answer is skills: packaged workflows that run on a trigger phrase, calling the right tools in the right order, with approval gates built in.
They are free and open-source at github.com/kolverahq/kolvera-skills. Say "Map the market for commercial cleaning in Melbourne" and the map-the-market skill runs the full pipeline: ICP, Deep Research, job scraping, contacts, hot lists, checking in with you at each gate. Other skills cover ICP review, contact enrichment, prospect sorting, hot list building, campaign builds, campaign health checks, morning briefings and weekly reviews.
Follow the current AI-client documentation for supported skill installation and account requirements. Client capabilities and subscription rules can change; verify them directly before configuring a workflow.
Use the current developer and AI-client documentation for available setup options. Client subscription requirements and supported installation methods can change; verify them with the provider rather than relying on a frozen setup promise.
REST API v2 for integrations and automation
Use the REST API reference to select the documented action for your integration. Verify authentication, permissions and response handling; do not assume complete parity with MCP or the web interface.
Webhooks and the CLI
Webhooks notify a receiver about documented events. Follow the current documentation for signature verification, retries and event handling before relying on a receiver in a production workflow.
Use the current CLI documentation and help output to inspect supported commands and options. Check account permissions and action costs before scripting a batch; command counts change.
Use the current webhook event catalogue when choosing triggers. Validate the signature and process each documented payload safely rather than hardcoding a frozen event count.
Where CRM integrations fit
Connector availability differs from interface availability. Atlas, HubSpot, Spott and Manatal are available directly; other registered CRM connectors are on request, and Bullhorn and JobAdder cannot currently be enabled pending vendor access.
If you retain Bullhorn or JobAdder, do not plan around an available native connector. Review export options and documented API scope for your own system, and confirm any proposed integration before building it.
Credits apply the same way
New email enrichment costs 2 credits per valid contact found. Fresh direct-dial and company-line phone finds cost 2 credits; cached company lines cost 1 credit, while an eligible number already on the account or a supported BYOK lookup may cost no Kolvera credits. Availability and plan gates apply. Check the current credit guide before running enrichment.
Select an eligible plan using current rates and feature gates. Annual rates require annual billing. Monthly plan credits reset each billing period; purchased top-up credits remain available until used.
Estimate an API workflow from its individual paid actions before running it. Browsing companies and enriching selected contacts are separate actions; confirm current outcome-dependent costs in the credit guide.
Getting started without writing code
The downloadable MCP companion provides workflow starters and links to current guidance. Review its suggestions against the live catalogue and your account; a document does not guarantee that an assistant follows every practice in every conversation.
From there, a sensible progression: start with the map-the-market, icp-review and campaign-build skills, add webhooks when you need another system to react to what happens in Kolvera, and reach for the REST API when you have a specific integration in mind.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an API token to use Kolvera with Claude?
Start with the MCP setup guide for a compatible client, or the developer documentation for a programmatic integration. Verify the connected account and a bounded read action before authorising writes.
How many MCP tools does Kolvera expose?
Use the live tool catalogue to see available actions and required inputs. Counts change; describe the task clearly and review the selected tool rather than treating a number as a capability guarantee.
Does API usage cost extra on top of my plan?
Check plan eligibility and the current action costs before a programmatic run. The interface used does not make a paid action free, and provider or client subscriptions may be separate.
What are webhooks useful for in a recruitment workflow?
Webhooks notify a receiver about documented events. Confirm the current event catalogue, signing and delivery handling, and account permissions. A verified notification does not by itself complete a downstream action.
Can I use the API if I already have Bullhorn or JobAdder?
Bullhorn and JobAdder cannot currently be enabled while vendor access is pending. Use the current directory to distinguish directly available connectors, request-only connectors and pending access.
Try it on your own data
The fastest way to judge a developer platform is to connect it and ask it something real. Add the connector, point it at one of your desks, and see whether the answers hold up. If you would rather have someone walk you through the integration options first, book a demo or read how other Australian agencies are running it.