Job size will now be factored into your JSS

lenaellis · ‎02-03-2020

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 work. We 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.

warlie01 · ‎03-02-2020

You are killing small-time freelancers, other freelancers who are contented on their current earnings and start-up/small-time freelancers.

1. Upwork Fee - I understand this but this is already hard for a lot of people and most of the clients don't want to spend much or even $500+.

2. Connects - Money talks. Instead of providing a better environment to freelancers, you're just giving agencies more power to get all the clients since they have resources. Small freelancers and start-up freelancers are having a hard time applying for a job because there's no free connects every month unlike before.

3. Job Success Score (JSS) - I understand you want a better system, but rating freelancers based on the AMOUNT they earn? Instead of the REVIEWS, they earned is nonsense. I think it's better to bring back the Star Rating based on the reviews instead of JSS.

Instead of giving Freelancers / Clients limited options and more expenses, why not make a better environment? Instead of creating nonsense updates.

REMEMBER: Freelancers has a huge part of Upwork's success, ever since oDesk and eLance merge!

enand_kishore · ‎03-02-2020

The Upwork making things worse...I am really not happy. They have already downgraded my score and am not able bid for those job required 90% success score. I also experienced fake jobs being posted on Upwork. We are loosing our connects by biding for these jobs every month.

tomalahsan · ‎03-02-2020

Hello,

How do we determine higher-paying jobs??
JSS and contacts have tuned working via Upwork a joke. No doubt we no longer see Good Clients.

I hope Upwork recovers and starts thinking wise soon !!!!

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

rasheda_rumi · ‎03-02-2020

hi,

Many times, I contact inactive clients and they say something like, "I don't have time or money for another milestone right NOW, but sometime SOON I'll need more work. Let's keep the contract open."

As a freelancer, i don't want to loose the opportunity for more work, nor want to insult my client by insisting they close the contract. for this i need to keep the contract, which works against my JSS.

what should i do now??

belosa · ‎03-02-2020

This is remotely related to the upcoming change but it's still about JSS.

I used to have 100% JSS and for the past couple of years I've only had one client on Upwork.

When I decided to close a contract with a really old client, my score dropped significantly to 91%. I kept it active because I really liked them and I was hoping they would give me more jobs but more than two years have passed so I thought it's time to let them go.

I don't think this was fair since a lot of time has passed and my current performance should not be affected just because a really old client did not give me any feedback.

Can Upwork do something about this?

aleksandrhovh · ‎03-02-2020

Hold up, some clarification is in order...

Does the new JSS rating system use your earnings or your contract budgets? You used both terms in your announcement, but they're very different metrics.

I've had projects in the past where the client set a measly budget of $5 as a placeholder; in reality, those contracts wind up earning me $1-2k by the time we run out of milestones:

Will this be taken into account, or am I screwed?

goto_perry · ‎03-02-2020

This new JSS is a terrible "Push me- Pull you" modification.

We are simultaneously asked to throw our hat in the ring for the small jobs for Enterprise Clients, like **Edited for Community Guidelines** ...and then...penalized for accepting and successfully completing the little $100 undertakings.

In summary, you only win if you GO-TO-WORK for someone full time through Upwork. Not exactly what I signed for as a Freelancer. If I had wanted an employment agency; I would have sought such.

toddterry · ‎03-02-2020

So if I'm a logo designer (earning $50-100 per logo), now I'm a third rate loser by default, because some guy can earn $1000 per job for making a webpage or some app? My work is less significant than their?

Every Upwork's big update is like a nail in the coffin lid.

nitinsharma91 · ‎03-02-2020

Now that higher-paying jobs weigh more in JSS calculation and your biggest and most recent job might have lowered your JSS (as you didn't get a 5 star on that one)

marafx · ‎03-02-2020

Finally a fair way to recognize the real value of each task. I was growing sick seeing how emplyers were looking for top rated, expert level but at the end of the recruiting they opt in for the **Edited for Community Guidelines**.

Using dumping prices will never help growing. I know 5 USD in 3rd world countries is like 50 in USA... but the work has a value, no matter where a person lives and works.

The change Upwork does will help geting rid of those using dumping prices just to get tasks that, nearly everytime, end up with no good results.

upwork should not be a cheap low quality services provider. There are many such places for those thinking that they can do expert tasks for nearly free... Real employers never buy the cheapest since they are well aware of what the task cost really is.
Hiring a freelancer costs less than hiring someone for your business directly since there are less tax involved. But this does not means that one shoudl be hired at a tenth of the value his work is worth.

thank you Upwork. I appreciate this change!