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Job size will now be factored into your JSS

lenaellis
Community Member

UPDATE: The JSS Metric has been updated to reflect the changes that were announced below. As of today, March 1st, all Job Success Scores are now displaying the updated value.


We will soon update JSS metrics to reflect job value in the calculation. Today, a one-week $20 job typically carries the same weight as a one-week $1,000 job in JSS. Soon, JSS will be weighted by job earnings. For example, a one-week $1,000 job will be weighted more than a one-week $20 job. JSS will also exclude contracts with $0 earned and positive feedback. All other JSS policies will remain unchanged.



What does this mean?

We are making this change so a freelancer’s Job Success Score will display a more comprehensive representation of their freelancer workWe understand not all jobs are equal. We know higher budget contracts require more work and freelancers who complete these more complex contracts successfully should get credit for them. Just as longer-term contracts hold more weight in JSS calculations than shorter ones, we believe contract value should also hold significance in the calculation. By giving these jobs more weight, these jobs will have a greater influence on a JSS. 

 

Many freelancers will see an increase in their scores if they’ve successfully completed higher budget contracts in the past. At the same time, a small percentage of freelancers may lose their JSS, see a drop in their scores, or lose their Top Rated badge. Today, we are emailing freelancers whose JSS will see a decline of 5% or more, to let them know they will be affected.  Freelancers that see a drop in their score can improve their JSS by completing more jobs with positive feedback, as it works today. Larger budget contracts with positive feedback will result in a higher increase in JSS, however, all great feedback contributes to JSS and whether you work on large or small contracts you can still reach 100% JSS.

 

This change will take effect in March, at which time all Job Success Scores will be updated retroactively. We know many of you will have questions about this update. We won’t be able to discuss your individual score or outcomes of specific contracts. We have listed some anticipated questions below, let us know if you have any additional questions.



FAQS:

 

Can I know what my new JSS is now before this launches?

We will not be able to provide you with your updated score until the JSS calculation refreshes at launch, in March.

 

Does this mean if I don’t get big contracts I’ll never be able to get a JSS of 100%?

Receiving stellar feedback on smaller budget jobs can still get you to a JSS of 100%. We are only changing the impact of jobs based on earnings. This means that strong client feedback on a higher-budget job could boost your score more than a lower-budget job. All other aspects of JSS will remain the same.

 

How will I know if it affects me?

The majority of freelancers will be affected positively by this change and will see an increase in their scores. We are sending out emails to those who will likely see a drop in their score once the new JSS calculation goes into effect in March. 

 

Can this affect me positively, will my JSS go up?

Yes! The vast majority of freelancers on the platform will see an increase or very little change in their scores. This is because you may have worked on one or more higher paying contracts in the past, and because you received great feedback that great feedback is being weighted more. 

 

Can I lose my JSS?

A small percentage of freelancers may lose their JSS. This is because they had one or more jobs with no earnings. Positive feedback on contracts with no earnings will not be factored into JSS once we move to the new calculation. As a result, some freelancers won’t have enough outcomes to be eligible for a JSS until they successfully complete more jobs. Nearly all freelancers have scores after completing eight projects. 

 

How does weighting work specifically? 

To ensure fairness and avoid manipulation, we don’t share the specifics about how we calculate the Job Success Score. Thanks for your understanding.

 

So if I take a bigger job and get negative feedback that counts more than positive feedback on smaller jobs?
Yes. A job with higher earnings will always impact your Job Success Score (JSS) more than a smaller job. For example, feedback on a $1,000 job carries more weight on your JSS compared to a $20 job. However, receiving poor feedback on a job with more earnings can be balanced out by doing well on a job of the same size in the future or on a number of smaller jobs. 

 

Can I lose my Top Rated badge?

Yes, a small percentage of freelancers who see a decline in their JSS may drop below 90% and lose their Top Rated badge. This is because they received less-than-positive public or private feedback on one or more of their higher-paying contracts. Feedback on contracts with higher earnings will affect JSS more after this new change.

925 Comments
a_lipsey
Community Member

What do you mean JSS scores will be  updated retroactively? I was just knocked out of TR status because I dipped below 90%, and this change should increase my JSS. Does that mean I'll be returned to TR as if I never dipped? What exactly does updated retroactively mean and how does that work?  Or do you just mean you will incorporate all previous contracts at their newly weighted value? 

anr248
Community Member

Hello Jennifer,


Thank you very much for your thoughts and comments. Though I don't believe your comments are correct. It is my understanding that the success/outcome of any given project or contract through Upwork is only counted towards the JSS once the contract has been completed, closed, and the client has the ability to leave a review and rating. I have several long-running contracts with my largest clients, none of whom I have yet closed a contract with allowing them to leave a review.


I would be very surprised if these open contracts are currently being counted towards the JSS without a contract closure and review. I was sent an email the morning stating my current JSS will go down in March with the new algo. I currently have open contracts with six-figure tallies on this platform. If your comments are correct Jennifer and my open contracts are currently being counted towards the JSS, and with this new algo Upwork will be weighting longer/higher-volume contracts with higher importance, than my JSS would have to INCREASE; mathematically it couldn’t decrease. So the email I received this morning about a score decrease would make little sense in this case?


I would actually like someone directly from Upwork to chime-in here if they can? Are open long-term contracts without a review or contract closure yet established being counted towards the JSS?

 

Thanks you.

 

- Andrew

kochubei_valeria
Community Member

Thanks for your question, Rajiv and Matthias. To ensure fairness and avoid manipulation, we don’t share the specifics about how we calculate the Job Success Score. Thanks for your understanding.

kochubei_valeria
Community Member

Hi Andrew,

 

I can confirm the information Jennifer shared. Long-term relationships are a plus and can help boost Job Success score while not having them won't count against it. That will continue to be true.

kochubei_valeria
Community Member

Hi Amanda,

 

Your Job Success Score will be recalculated retroactively once this change takes place. So yes, previous contracts with higher earnings will have more weight in the score.

tammi-wiegand
Community Member

greedy Upwork....no more helping the small person motiovated to work.I guess that's the attitude it takes to become the next Silicon Valley.

anr248
Community Member

Hello Valeria,

 

Thank you for the reply, much appreciated. Though I'm a bit confused. I received the email stating my JSS would go down. Based on the information you've provided, that would have to be mathematically impossible. My current open contracts with clients who have not yet had the opportunity to leave a review acount for 95% of the revenue I've generated on your platform, and I've generated in the 6-figures. From the information you're telling me, these contracts would be weighted more heavily with the new algo. Mathematically my JSS could only increase in that case... I'm a Harvard doctoral trained Statistician by the way, so I kind of know the math 😉

 

Can you please explain what I'm possibly missing here? We can take this offline if you would like. Is there a way I can message you?

varungs
Community Member

A welcome change. Thank you. This is a step towards the perfect JSS algo. One that doesn't screw you over if you have multiple open long-term contracts, or multiple closed contracts in a row (due to client inactivity), or multiple contracts with no feedback... Let's keep the change train rollin'!

utamons
Community Member

Why do not a step further, and measure JSS in some other units, not in percent? Now a freelancer with a few contracts, who earned $5000/year, has the same JSS as a freelancer, who earned over $100K/year. Although there's an obvious difference. Smiley Happy

researchediting
Community Member

Oleg Z wrote:

Why do not a step further, and measure JSS in some other units, not in percent? Now a freelancer with a few contracts, who earned $5000/year, has the same JSS as a freelancer, who earned over $100K/year. Although there's an obvious difference. Smiley Happy


JSS is not and never has been a percentage (of what: "success"? in what quantitative units is that measured?). It is a score (as its name suggests) on a 100-point scale, which does not make it a percentage; it is misleading to publish it with a percent sign. And while we're at it, this move may make clearer that what JSS really rates is not something so nebulous as success, but imputable profitability to Upwork (and proportionally to us). As such, is it really a good metric to offer to clients? (Rhetorical, and beyond the scope of this discussion.)