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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
sergeimcfa
Community Member

1 client opened 5 contracts with me, pressured me to do free work, and give him discounts. I refused. I explained that getting instructions and presenting outcomes is work. I explained that 29$/hour isn't too much. Anyway he closed one 150$ job at 3.7 stars ... I realized where he was heading, so I closed off all his contracts, refunded him everything. But he still managed to drop my JSS to 81%. 
I don't know what to do now. Moving to another platform seems to be the only option. I made almost 30,000$ on upwork .. was top rated a month ago ... now one scammer just ruined me.

petra_r
Community Member

Sergei M wrote:

1 client opened 5 contracts with me


Why would you have 5 open contracts with any one client? That is literally the freelancing equivalent of Russian Roulette.

 

Clients can't force you to do anything. That is the beauty of freelancing.

81% is not the end of the world. You have 17 contracts in progress, get them closed successfully and you will be fine.

 

If you really said what the client says you said in their feedback, I must say that you need to rethink your approach...

 

lysis10
Community Member

lol I thought my 3 contracts with the same client that went south was bad, but dude you outdid me.

 

I kept the money though because I'm a chad. 😎😎😎😎😎

a_lipsey
Community Member

Sergei M wrote:

1 client opened 5 contracts with me, pressured me to do free work, and give him discounts. I refused. I explained that getting instructions and presenting outcomes is work. I explained that 29$/hour isn't too much. Anyway he closed one 150$ job at 3.7 stars ... I realized where he was heading, so I closed off all his contracts, refunded him everything. But he still managed to drop my JSS to 81%. 
I don't know what to do now. Moving to another platform seems to be the only option. I made almost 30,000$ on upwork .. was top rated a month ago ... now one scammer just ruined me.


Closing 4 contracts with no pay is what tanked your JSS. You would have been better off to do a good job and hope for at least 4 star feedback or talk to the client about how to  improve the other jobs and keep working (and earning money). Instead of resolving whatever issue there was with your performance, you tanked your own JSS. Nice job. 

 

You can still recover with good feedback on your open jobs. I recovered from 82%. You can recover from 81%. But you need to learn some conflict resolution skills or this will happen again. And again. And again. 

alexis-arinze
Community Member

Soo.. I'm a perfectionist and would love to have a 100% JSS. I know good reviews on a project with high earnings is known to boost up the score. In saying this, I'm currently working on a $1,500 job and am curious about how much higher my JSS would be after that project goes well. Thanks and hope to hear back!

a_lipsey
Community Member

Oh, I know that feeling. 😉

 

None of us can say exactly how much your score would go up if you got 5* and perfect private feedback, but consider these things:

 

This contract would be weighted over smaller projects, but how many total projects do you have? If you had a small number of total projects, then this would weight greatly and could shift you significantly. If you have lots of projects, let's say this is 1 project out of 30, then it's still a smaller percentage of the overall score, even with it's weight due to the size. You may need a couple of larger projects with perfect scores to shift you from 92% to 100%. 

 

Honestly, anything above 90% is good, and even when I was at 82% I was getting invites every day. It's about the quality of your work and delivering on time. Communicate effectively with your clients, resolve issues with diplomacy and consideration, and your score will get there. And also avoid no earnings contracts - full refunds or contracts that stay open longer than a couple of months with no earnings will tank your score. 

 

But none of us have the magic formula to tell you how much it will increase based on one contract. AND it also depends on which window you'd be in: 6 month, 12 month, 24 month. 

 

ETA: I see you only have 7 contracts. You'll probably see a significant increase if you get perfect private feedback. Not sure if that will take you to 100 or not. Probably not, but close. 

petra_r
Community Member

Alexis A wrote:

I'm currently working on a $1,500 job and am curious about how much higher my JSS would be after that project goes well.


That's assuming Upwork doesn't shut the client down for violating the terms of service (erotica/adult material is not allowed and working on such jobs is also a violation of Upwork's terms of service)

 

Amanda L wrote:

Not sure if that will take you to 100 or not. Probably not, but close. 


She can't get to 100% until the contract with the poor outcome drops out of the calculation window.

 

alexis-arinze
Community Member

Petra R wrote:

Alexis A wrote:

I'm currently working on a $1,500 job and am curious about how much higher my JSS would be after that project goes well.


That's assuming Upwork doesn't shut the client down for violating the terms of service (erotica/adult material is not allowed and working on such jobs is also a violation of Upwork's terms of service)

 

Amanda L wrote:

Not sure if that will take you to 100 or not. Probably not, but close. 


She can't get to 100% until the contract with the poor outcome drops out of the calculation window.

 


I was never aware that writing stories with underlying adult themes was against any violation..I'll definitely look further into that.

petra_r
Community Member

Alexis A wrote:


I was never aware that writing stories with underlying adult themes was against any violation..I'll definitely look further into that.


Terms of Use > 4. Prohibited Site use

 

Seeking, offering, promoting, or endorsing and services, content, or activities that:

  • are defamatory, illegal, profane, vulgar, threatening, unlawfully discriminatory, illegal, pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit in nature;

 

 

alexis-arinze
Community Member

Petra R wrote:

Alexis A wrote:


I was never aware that writing stories with underlying adult themes was against any violation..I'll definitely look further into that.


Terms of Use > 4. Prohibited Site use

 

Seeking, offering, promoting, or endorsing and services, content, or activities that:

  • are defamatory, illegal, profane, vulgar, threatening, unlawfully discriminatory, illegal, pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit in nature;

 

 


Thanks for letting me know! I'm going to refrain from ever taking on those types of jobs. However, I'm in a bind now. I've completed one milestone already and am expected to complete another. Do I keep working on this contract since it's already active with some money paid?