Member Since: Aug 24, 2015
Member Since: May 5, 2015
Member Since: Dec 4, 2015
Valeria K
Member Since: Mar 6, 2014
Member Since: Mar 6, 2014
Hi Jessica and others,
Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. Clients have told us that they have a difficult time finding talent that are both interested in larger, more complex projects and also have a track record of completing them successfully on Upwork.
It does not mean, however, that these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score. Plus, since we only expect about 3% of freelancers to earn this variation of Top Rated status we know the Top Rated badge will still set you apart as having a great reputation on Upwork.
~ Valeria
Member Since: May 19, 2014
Valeria K wrote:Hi Jessica and others,
Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. Clients have told us that they have a difficult time finding talent that are both interested in larger, more complex projects and also have a track record of completing them successfully on Upwork.
It does not mean, however, that these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score. Plus, since we only expect about 3% of freelancers to earn this variation of Top Rated status we know the Top Rated badge will still set you apart as having a great reputation on Upwork.
Valeria, that's still not very comforting 
I do well on large projects / long-term projects, but I won't get this badge.
As a client, I'd choose Top Rated Plus every time over Top Rated. Unless you put a banner across every page of the site breaking down these badge descriptions (and maybe even then), clients won't understand the nuance and will just choose the freelancer with the better-sounding (or -looking) badge.
Valeria K
Member Since: Mar 6, 2014
Member Since: Mar 6, 2014
Isabelle Anne,
We are taking steps to educate clients so they understand that Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score than those with traditional Top Rated status.
Isabelle Anne A wrote:
I do well on large projects / long-term projects, but I won't get this badge.
Actually, you already have this badge and will be able to see it yourself on your profile later this summer.
~ Valeria
Member Since: Sep 26, 2016
Member Since: May 19, 2014
Valeria K wrote:Isabelle Anne,
We are taking steps to educate clients so they understand that Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score than those with traditional Top Rated status.
Isabelle Anne A wrote:I do well on large projects / long-term projects, but I won't get this badge.
Actually, you already have this badge and will be able to see it yourself on your profile later this summer.
Thanks so much for the update! I'm not going to pretend I'm not relieved to hear this, but all the points Jessica made below are very valid. Obviously I'm happy that I qualify for the badge because I need all the advantages I can get, but if someone like Jessica, who is arguably much successful than me on Upwork, doesn't qualify, then these badges are misrepresentative. I dislike using the word "unfair" online since people tend to mock it, but can't think of a more accurate way to describe this situation
And the "vetted" badge is even more confusing -- how can Upwork be a fair judge of which freelancers deserve to get this particular badge? Plus, those who get the vetted badge will seem far superior to the rest of us (whether rightfully or unrightfully so)
Since I have been a client in the past and will probably be again sometime, it's all a bit concerning. I hope Upwork will indeed find a way to better outline the differences regarding these badges -- other than putting little "?" icons next to them ... as I don't know how many clients actually look at or understand those.
Member Since: Dec 4, 2015
Isabelle Anne A wrote:
Valeria K wrote:Isabelle Anne,
We are taking steps to educate clients so they understand that Top Rated Plus is only an indicator that a freelancer worked on a successful large contract and had earnings of at least $10,000 in the past year on Upwork. It does not mean these freelancers are better or have a higher Job Success Score than those with traditional Top Rated status.
Isabelle Anne A wrote:I do well on large projects / long-term projects, but I won't get this badge.
Actually, you already have this badge and will be able to see it yourself on your profile later this summer.
Thanks so much for the update! I'm not going to pretend I'm not relieved to hear this, but all the points Jessica made below are very valid. Obviously I'm happy that I qualify for the badge because I need all the advantages I can get, but if someone like Jessica, who is arguably much successful than me on Upwork, doesn't qualify, then these badges are misrepresentative. I dislike using the word "unfair" online since people tend to mock it, but can't think of a more accurate way to describe this situation
And the "vetted" badge is even more confusing -- how can Upwork be a fair judge of which freelancers deserve to get this particular badge? Plus, those who get the vetted badge will seem far superior to the rest of us (whether rightfully or unrightfully so)
Since I have been a client in the past and will probably be again sometime, it's all a bit concerning. I hope Upwork will indeed find a way to better outline the differences regarding these badges -- other than putting little "?" icons next to them ... as I don't know how many clients actually look at or understand those.
Thanks Isabelle, but you definitely deserve this. 
I have LONG felt that Upwork needed to do something better for the best top-rated freelancers - Perhaps something as simple as making a top-rated plus type of badge for top rated freelancers who have held that consistently for 12 months or even 24 months - and that these can come with additional JSS-related perks. Never did I imagine this would manifest in a form that excludes many top rated freelancers who don't work on long-term or high-priced jobs. Obviously, it would have to be something ANYONE can earn if they work hard - it can't have aspects to it that simply don't apply to everyone.
I guess there is a sliver lining - not many in my category will likely have this badge since we all do the same short term jobs. I guess I won't appear "lesser" than most others when being considered for jobs except when coming up against those who do what I do plus other longer term writing jobs (I have seen a few of those). Then it simply becomes "unfair" because a client wouldn't know why that freelancer has the badge and I don't other than he/she must be better. But... Upwork doesn't care so I shall just continue to try to get myself off this platform altogether.
Member Since: Mar 17, 2018
Jessica S wrote:I have LONG felt that Upwork needed to do something better for the best top-rated freelancers - Perhaps something as simple as making a top-rated plus type of badge for top rated freelancers who have held that consistently for 12 months or even 24 months - and that these can come with additional JSS-related perks. Never did I imagine this would manifest in a form that excludes many top rated freelancers who don't work on long-term or high-priced jobs. Obviously, it would have to be something ANYONE can earn if they work hard - it can't have aspects to it that simply don't apply to everyone.
I guess there is a sliver lining - not many in my category will likely have this badge since we all do the same short term jobs. I guess I won't appear "lesser" than most others when being considered for jobs except when coming up against those who do what I do plus other longer term writing jobs (I have seen a few of those). Then it simply becomes "unfair" because a client wouldn't know why that freelancer has the badge and I don't other than he/she must be better. But... Upwork doesn't care so I shall just continue to try to get myself off this platform altogether.
It is a brilliant way to prevent freelancers taking clients off the platform after 2 years when it's allowed to do so.
When it comes to translation, I don't see how this will work - neither the vetting by 'experts' nor the long/high priced contracts (worst case scenario: Upwork hires cheap (unskilled) translators to assess other translators' work - anyone can call themself 'translator' since it's not a protected title). Furthermore, the demand for different languages depends on how many people speak the language so for e.g. an English/Icelandic translator it would be might be more difficult reaching the threshold than a Spanish/English translator and Upwork might end up with multiple languages that don't have Top Rated+ or vetted translators as it could very well be impossible to implement due to lack of demand for specific language pairs.
