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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
darrenwall74
Community Member
I just wish Upwork was a level playing field, but it's not. Client's can abuse it and freelancers, and walk away with no regard for a freelancer's lively hood.
marafx
Community Member

The update of our scores run March 1st. They are already updated by the new rule. See the Main post  they wrote an Update on top.

marietterussell
Community Member

It was great (Odesk)!

However, lots of wild, wild west clients and could be quite stressful to pitch for work then (I joined 2015). These clients disappeared for a long while after Upwork  came about and have enjoyed some great clients and done some fab work. I have however found in the last 4 months or so the wild west seems to have returned with offers of $5-$300 fixed for large jobs that would otherwise cost $2-3,000 for the time needed on them to make them to the quality the client is usually asking for (I work in presentation design) and lots of job postings that go nowhere. I have noticed it costs more connects to pitch for jobs where payment is not verified which I think is a good thing.

Missing the large clients though and thinking it may have something to do with what is going on with the markets, everyone is quiet..

tate78
Community Member

This is just the opposite. I have found that most clients using the system want a lot of work for little budget. It's been true every time. Large budget projects are simply clients who know the value of the work. This new metric is not helpful, wish someone would've asked the freelancers first.

marafx
Community Member

Matt read Ginny post is above yours. It is about weighting not about counting.
if one has 10 low budget jobs they weight all the same, while if he has 1 big budget 9 small budget the  big one will weight more in evaluating the score.
just to push us and employers to  go for bigger tasks.
But a logo creator for sure has tons of 100 usd tasks- and h can be 100% if all are 5 star or near...

 

abeerah1214
Community Member

I really appreciate the detailed post which pretty much clarifies how the JSS will affect our profiles. But I have a mixed feeling towards the new decision. Though, it's good to give more weightage to high-paying jobs. Indeed, such projects require hard work and more work (usually). But I'm concerned about how it will impact the content writers. Most writing jobs aren't high-paying. They require a few articles and offer a few hundred dollars. So, that makes a content writer predominantly working for small paying jobs. 

I'll appreciate if somebody explains this to me. Thanks.

samrat3
Community Member

Antonia B. V wrote:



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.


I wish I could give you 100 kudos.

marafx
Community Member
Hey, it's about the weight a high paid job has against a low pay one. If
you write content, and have 100 jobs of 100 usd, all will weight the same
so you'll keep your score. But if you have 99 jobs of 100 usd with 5 stars
and a job of 1k with 3 stars the 1k job will weight more so score can go
under 100% a lot, more than it was in the past.

At least this is my understanding.

Add to this the long time clients - jobs that keep on for years with
permanent milestones and there you go

nataliasavitcaia
Community Member

Hi,

Can you please explain me why my JSS is dropping without any negative changes in contracts or feedback? Last drop is from 91% to 83%. The one before from 100% to 91% without any contracts closing!!!

It looks strange and not logical to me.

Best regards,

Natalia

ri3dviz
Community Member

Here's a suggestion, make sure clients in the USA pay at least minimum wage!