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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
jeanette_ro
Community Member

Hello,

 

I've just noticed that my profile is now showing a job success score, but I can't understand why the score is so low at 87%?

 

Just to give an overview of my profile:

-I have only one job completed on my profile and the contractor gave me a 5 stars review.

-I have three jobs in progress, two of which have been long term lasting for the past 2 or 3 months.

-A month ago or so I came across a client who hired me for a job, but then he kept changing his mind about the kind of work he wanted me to do and at one point paused the contract. After not hearing from him for a while I asked him to close the contract. To note that I didn't do any work for that job. So the contract was closed with 0 hours worked.

 

Do you have any idea of why my score is only at 87% then?

 

Could it be because the person who closed that contract at 0 hours gave me bad private feedback? That would be very unfair as I haven't done any actual work for him and I was always very polite in my communication with him even when he was the one being flaky (all this could be proved as all of our communication was on Upwork).

 

Job success score is important and I don't want this to reflect badly on my profile when I have never received a bad review from a client I working for.

mrwansultan
Community Member

Hello, my JSS just droped to 96% while im doing all the work as usual it always have been 99-100% so its kinda weird for me to see it drop like this! im currently working on a hourly contract and a ling term couple of contracts and a normal contracts from now and then.

and all the idle contracts are already have milestones payed so i think its fine, isnt it ?

also have one contract which is idle and nothing have been payed because unresponsive client, may it cause this ?

please if you have time give my account a look and let me know what made this drop and what should i do to get my JSS back to 99-100%

thanks a lot

mrwansultan
Community Member

Also want to mention that i didn't propose to a job for a while now because im busy on my current work

mrwansultan
Community Member

Hey Petra,

please can you look at this my JSS just droped to 96% while im doing all the work as usual it always have been 99-100% so its kinda weird for me to see it drop like this! im currently working on a hourly contract and a long term couple of contracts and a normal contracts from now and then.

and all the idle contracts are already have milestones payed so i think its fine, isnt it ?

also have one contract which is idle and nothing have been payed because unresponsive client, may it cause this ?

please if you have time give my account a look and let me know what made this drop and what should i do to get my JSS back to 99-100%

also i didnt propose for a new jobs for a while because im busy on my current contracrs

thanks a lot

researchediting
Community Member

Mrwan S wrote:

Hey Petra,

please can you look at this my JSS just droped to 96% while im doing all the work as usual it always have been 99-100% so its kinda weird for me to see it drop like this! im currently working on a hourly contract and a long term couple of contracts and a normal contracts from now and then.

and all the idle contracts are already have milestones payed so i think its fine, isnt it ?

also have one contract which is idle and nothing have been payed because unresponsive client, may it cause this ?

please if you have time give my account a look and let me know what made this drop and what should i do to get my JSS back to 99-100%

also i didnt propose for a new jobs for a while because im busy on my current contracrs

thanks a lot


Just so you know, Petra is an extremely well informed freelancer, who is also generous in sharing her time and expertise. She may or may not take requests.

mmcgrath_design
Community Member

I had this row over chat with UpWork this evening, when I was seeking an explanation as to why my score dropped from 99% to 92% for no apparent reason.

 

I now have a few semi-retainer clients and thought that this would be a good thing, however I received this confusing and conflicting advice from UpWork....

 

"Having a long term contract is a positive indicator and can impact the score favorably even when opened. However, active contracts may also have a negative impact on your score if jobs started months ago mature to become long-term relationships or remain with no earnings and no feedback for multiple months."

 

Utter nonsense as they are saying that long term relationships can be positive or negative??!! Which is it? They then basically told me to track down the one client who has simply not closed the job. 

 

I don't want to have to chase and harass clients for feedback on every job... it's unprofessional and desparate. 

 

So angry tonight. I wouldn't mind losing % points if I've messed up, however you are penalised instead of being given the benefit of the doubt when a client probably doesn't view writing a glowing review as a top priority. 

papa233
Community Member

Thanks, I appreciate it! It helped.

andrew_croft
Community Member

Re Martin's chat with Upwork...

 

Right, so it is **OUR FAULT** for starting up new contracts and trying to keep them on Upwork when they penalize us because the client doesn’t care how Upwork works, is forgetful and has no loyalty to anyone.

 
Upwork cannot see through their own crap - it’s pathetic.
 
Why doesn’t Upwork send messages to the client asking THEM to move on these contracts.
 
So what we have to do - and thanks Upwork for making more work for US - is to close off projects every month and Upwork needs to force clients to post feedback otherwise it is not closed on their end - and Upwork keeps sending annoying messages ot them every 24 hours until they do. See how the clients like it on the other side of Upwork's stupidity.
 
I opened a new contract with a regular onoing client on here starting Sep. 1 and she just opened a new contract yesterday for just one project - WHY THE HELL???
 
It’s NOT OUR JOB to make Upwork work. It’s up to Upwork to fix this insane process we have to go through to keep them lining their pockets. 20% for the favour of us making them insane amounts of money,.
 
What the world needs is a good freelance site FOR FREELANCERS. Because this one clearly IS NOT.

 

3f1ddabb
Community Member

Upon checking my profile, I've realized that my job success score went from 100% to 93% a few weeks ago and earlier today it went down to 88%. Despite the fact that all of my feedback are between 4.5+ to 5.0 (some doesn't have ratings) with no failed projects. I have no bad exchange with any of my clients and are very happy with my service. I just can't understand how this score works, how is it calculated?  

cf86d312
Community Member

Hi All,

I apply Upwork about a mounth ago with big hope. During this mounth I try to complete my profile and expand my portfolio. While I search and discover I’m trying to be better. I got my first job in a week. Then start to take another jobs easily after my first job. It was all good in my point of view.

In my 5th job which is logo design, client go futher away job description with revises. I almost spend 2 days for it which can be done max 4 hours. After two days he ask me to hand draw, and I reply him with respect that I cannot do that. We aggree to end the contract. I did end. At the end all of it logo is a start of a story and I just want to make it easier for him.

After that case JSS came to my profile. Even Though I have 4 succsessfully completed job (3; 5 stars and 1; 4,8 stars and I get all my previous clients detailed comments) my score is 77. I didn’t know the contract I was ended decrease my score this badly. And I couldn’t get any job until that day.

I am sad to say that my dream about freelance seem to end in its very first steps.

What should I do?

I am greatful for your help in advance.