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.

omda9999 · ‎07-05-2020

Top-rated eligible weeks is stuck at 2/16 for the last one week.

my Job Success is 100%. and it's updated today. but with no updates or increasing for the eligible weeks. Help, please..

m_navjot · ‎07-05-2020

Here i just want help or solution from you. I completed my (7 of 16) top rated eligible weeks.

But Upwork suddenly decrease my JSS 98% to 85% without any reason. My all clients gave me good reviews.
I completed all jobs successfully.
But my JSS went down. why?

kishanvikani · ‎07-05-2020

Hi,

My JSS was 93% and it dropped to 90% but I completed 3 projects and all gave me 5* ratings and good feedback. I don't know how this JSS update works since everything going good still my score went down. Could someone from the support team help me on this issue please.
I was expecting my JSS to go up to 100% since I had good reviews and successful job completion.

gilbert-phyllis · ‎07-05-2020

There are reams and reams of discussion threads about the JSS right here in this forum, available for you to browse.

A couple of tips... Public feedback (the stars and any comments you see) amounts to window dressing, more or less. What counts is private feedback which may or may not be consistent with the public feedback. The metric you can keep an eye on which most closely reflects the direction of your overall JSS is the 'clients who would recommend you' number. It updates on a different schedule than the JSS (to prevent FLs from sussing out which client threw a spanner and harassing that client).

adeyemi187 · ‎07-07-2020

I had 5 star for the four contracts.

andrew_croft · ‎07-07-2020

Muhammad Ibrahaeem J said:

"Kindly help."

Upwork will likely say...

Read the outline of how we determine your score. That is how it is done, we are not changing it.

**Edited for community guidelines**

It is a new month - 6 days ago - I now have 3 or 4 open contracts from June that are still open because...

>> **Edited for community guidelines**

I have contracts open for a full month because I am not opening up a contract for each and every little project a repeat customer sends me... now I am stuck with my JSS likely sliding down - NOT BECAUSE ANY CLIENT IS UNHAPPY. Only because these clients don't give enough **Edited for community guidelines** about how Upwork operates.

If I continue to message these clients to tell them to end the contract - that will **Edited for community guidelines**

Why can I NOT END CONTRACTS?????????????????????????????????????

I can **PROPOSE** a new contract but unless the client is responsive - nothing is going to get done.

Upwork - SERIOUSLY?????

I make Upwork 20% of everything I earn and yet you want me to **Edited for community guidelines** my clients further????????

Upwork - you have MAJOR ISSUES YOU NEED TO ADDRESS.

**Edited for community guidelines**

andrew_croft · ‎07-07-2020

Joanne Marie P says...

"Contracts with no earnings and no feedback, whether closed or not, can significantly lower your JSS because they indicate client dissatisfaction."

Again - your system is broken. Fix it.

Get rid of the **Edited for community guidelines** JSS score. Only those posting actual feedback need count towards my overall customer satisfaction.

You do not vet your clients - it is clear that **Edited for Community Guidelines** with a credit card can post a $6/hr job on here.

You have opened your platform to stupidity.

You have hundreds of complaints posted here and you are NOT LISTENING.

It's embarrassing to use Upwork. It's like saying... I use Freelancer. Might as well, they're no better, nor are the projects.

kochubei_valeria · ‎07-07-2020

Andrew,

We appreciate feedback shared by our users in the Community and have been forwarding it to the product team for consideration. The team has been working on reviewing JSS calculation and updating certain aspects of it. A couple of such updates were announced on this thread. If there are more changes in the future, we'll make sure to announce them as well.

I'd also like to add that currently, contracts with no feedback are only flagged when they represent a significant portion of the freelancer's contracts.

susanwinlowmedia · ‎07-07-2020

Douglas Michael M wrote:
Clients cannot close a job without leaving feedback. Accepting this advice, asking the client to close the job is sufficient. Like many others here, I will do everything possible to avoid mentioning feedback, or any other internal Upwork process, to clients. Also, that "will minimize" is rather strong without knowing, as no one can know, exactly what kind of feedback the client will leave.

Out of curiosity, if a client can't close a contract without leaving feedback, how do jobs end up closed in the feeds/profiles with "No feedback given?" Perhaps they don't have to leave public feedback? Private feedback does absolutely no good when it's not visible to the clients looking at our profiles. They will see our JSS percentage, but most of them really have no idea how that intertwines with public vs. private feedback and all the other "things" woven into that score. I think it's a bit confusing to tell people they don't have to remind client's to leave feedback when that is a mantra around here so we don't end up with a string of "No Feedback Given" because that damages the JSS, as well. What am I missing? Your sentiment seems to vary greatly from the masses.

researchediting · ‎07-08-2020

Susan W wrote:
Douglas Michael M wrote:
Clients cannot close a job without leaving feedback. Accepting this advice, asking the client to close the job is sufficient. Like many others here, I will do everything possible to avoid mentioning feedback, or any other internal Upwork process, to clients. Also, that "will minimize" is rather strong without knowing, as no one can know, exactly what kind of feedback the client will leave.
Out of curiosity, if a client can't close a contract without leaving feedback, how do jobs end up closed in the feeds/profiles with "No feedback given?" Perhaps they don't have to leave public feedback? Private feedback does absolutely no good when it's not visible to the clients looking at our profiles. They will see our JSS percentage, but most of them really have no idea how that intertwines with public vs. private feedback and all the other "things" woven into that score. I think it's a bit confusing to tell people they don't have to remind client's to leave feedback when that is a mantra around here so we don't end up with a string of "No Feedback Given" because that damages the JSS, as well. What am I missing? Your sentiment seems to vary greatly from the masses.

Clients have to give star ratings, as well as private feedback (Would you recommend...?) when they close jobs. They do not have to give a narrative public feedback.

When they close a job with no public written feedback, only the stars appear, no text.
When the freelancer closes the job and the client does not respond to Upwork's prompt(s) to leave feedback, "No feedback given" appears.
"No feedback given" or some similar wording may also appear temporarily if there is a delay in feedback showing upon completion of the double-blind process.

Whenever it is to my advantage to close a job, I'll ask the client to do so first, and do it myself if there is no response within a week. No need whatsoever to mention feedback; I leave mine, and Upwork prompts them to leave theirs.

"Sentiment"? I'm guessing you're referring to the policy of not burdening clients with Upwork's mechanics; the "many others" I said join me in that practice are all professional and successful. "The masses"? How quaint.