Job Success Score Update | December 2023

[BrandonS]

Upwork's Job Success Score (or JSS, for short) is one of the key features of our platform. JSS is a measure of clients' satisfaction with the work that hired talent have completed. With JSS, talent can stand out in the marketplace, and clients can make quick, informed decisions about who to hire. 

Because JSS is so important to our customers, it’s essential that the logic behind this score is transparent and that the score accurately reflects talent's past performance on their contracts. This sometimes requires us to make modifications for the benefit of Upwork's customers and the health of the marketplace. 

Today, we've introduced a few changes to JSS that are aligned to our goals of transparency and accuracy, and are rooted in feedback that we've heard from you, our customers. These changes are:

• Now talent can earn JSS after completing 2 projects with 2 unique clients anytime within a 24 month period. Previously we required at least 4 projects with 2 unique clients.
• We are putting more emphasis on public feedback, which gives talent more transparency into the outcomes that impact their score. This also will give clients a deeper understanding of talent’s strengths and weaknesses and how they performed on previous projects.

You can read more about these changes and how we calculate JSS overall in our Help Center.

We're excited about these updates, and are committed to continuing to listen to your feedback and improve our marketplace. Thank you for your trust in our team and our products.

[39c4e22d]

Hi, Maritza Meza Nuberg. I'd like to know why my job success score is only 78%? I'm new here and I'd left jobs ended without the client stating they'd ended and offering feedback and rating, I had noidea that affected my score or I had to do that. I did complete all the jobs, got the clients to mark all contracts as termiated and I got excellent reviews from all of them  🙂 . My question; why is my score is only 78%, even after all my jobs have been succesfully ended...

Since my score dropped I haven't received any proposals or email... it's sad.. I was on a roll!!! 

[1ba28bb5]

Hello Brandon.
Plesae review my job success score.

Thank you,
Igor

[1ba28bb5]

Hello Brandon.
Plesae review my job success score.

contract - Python Developer Needed for Web Scraping Script Fix on Ubuntu VM, budget is 22.5$, deadline is 1 week.
In this contract, client ended and requested refund before deadline and I approved and delivered result after ending contract.
I noticed that my JSS dropped from 100% to 85% after happend this issue.
This client sent message to support team, but they replied that freelancer have to contact support team.
Anyways I don't understand why my JSS dropped from 100% to 85% by following rule of calculating JSS.
Hopefully I want to fix my JSS issue asap.

Thank you,
Igor

[30452fbb]

Being a senior professional, I may need to give it more time before commenting on it. So let me take my time exploring upwork properly before giving any feedback.

Regards,

Jalal Ud Din, CPA

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[478a4794]

Hi Brandon, I have completed 100% percent of my jobs, contracts on time or ahead of schedule. Yet I have a jss score of 89% why would that be and how do I correct? Thank you, Camille

[30452fbb]

Hi Brandon,

I am still looking for ways how to attrack work on this forum. Is there a place where employers post their work requirements and someone bid for that work and get response or we simply post our skill set they directly select us from there.

[9e77e4ef]

Hi Brandon,

Thank you for the update. I have 3 reviews with 2 unique clients. But why am I not having a JSS yet?

Best regards.

Dmytro

[1ba28bb5]

Please review my JSS.

I don't understand why my JSS dropped down.

[msimon_pm]

Hi Igor, 

Until recently, the hidden feedback score, which the client gives upon closing a contract, had a big impact on the JSS. If you can't see the reason in your stats, it may be this behind the curtains feature.

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211068358-Job-Success-Score

[3b99fb2c]

can anyone tell me i have completed two jobs with five star in my profile and two jobs are running when will i get job success score badge

[LuiggiR]

Hi Muhammad,

Thank you for reaching out. I can see that the contract for the second job you're referring to ended very recently. Since JSS updates every two weeks, and the last update occurred on Feb 04, any impact that contract would have on your score will be reflected on the next update. You can learn more about JSS in this help article. 

[537c675d]

Is everyone's JSS calculated at the same time on the same 2 week schedule or are different users calculated at different times?

[ArjayM]

Hi Eric,

It's every member's JSS that is being calculated every two weeks. All at the same time. 

[ee96af8f]

Help!! My JSS is 38%!! I have made over $5K, 2 completed jobs with 5 stars, and 2 ongoing. Why?!! I have two ongoing clients. This is why no one wants to work with me on my recent proposals! Looking at my JSS, It seems as if I don't know what I am doing. What can I do?

[js3d]

4 weeks ago i posted on here that my job success score was 65% (used to be 90something)

logged in again yesterday and its now 50% 😂

But I havent done any jobs (successful or unsuccessful) on upwork in that time 😂

So I guess if I keep working for non upwork clients it will eventually drop to zero?

It drops by 15% every 4 weeks?

The admins on here have mentioned that bad private feedback will affect job score, but that also as older jobs move out of the score range they no longer count toward job score. 

If i leave it until all my jobs have moved out of the score range then what happens? 😂

[8c48aa46]

I'm a bit disappointed in how this JSS works. Now, I'm struggling to get more work. Just for one client with a job cost of $30 ONLY!!!, it can drag down my JSS so much. 9 out of 10 give me 5 stars and good feedback. Can someone explain how the JSS works? Is it by milestone or by job? Should I advise my client to divide all milestones and convert them into individual projects just to lift up my JSS? 2-3 jobs completed within the 2 weeks period but my JSS only went up 1%?

[l2li]

My JSS is a 40% as originally I billed in sporadic periods (this is what I was told), then later because I left too many jobs open (I did have a bunch of jobs open for some time)... While of course I could of avoided these mistakes with some reading - 40% seems harshe.

I closed the jobs roughly a month ago, and still 40%. What can I do!?

[385c560b]

Hello Brandon,

Thank you for the update. I have had a JSS score of 100%. There is no change of feedback in my account, however my JSS has been removed, could you please guide me whom should i contact for the same, thank you.

Swati

[LuiggiR]

Hi Swati,

When that happens, you may not have enough contract outcomes within 24 months to have a JSS. To clarify, you must have at least two outcomes with two distinct clients within that period to have a JSS. Feel free to check this article to learn more. 

[b8c4cac6]

Hi Brandon ,

I was doing great at upwork and my JSS score is also 100 % success . I am on my way to earn my top rated badge within a week but today as I opened my upwork account and was shocked to see that my Score drop down to 81 % . how ? as I did not have any negative rating or any one who provided me poor rating ? how upwork can do such to a freelancer who struggles and given his hard time , building a decent goodwill on upwork and within a 2 days , you ruin my JSS score ? why ? I need a proper justification on this !

[6d0a16c4]

Hi, My JSS is 88% and from last month it has not been updated, however within the last week before the JSS update I have completed 2 successful projects with a rating of 5 stars but still no impact. 

[dfc4df5e]

Hello Brandon,

I appreciate UpWork's diligence and tranparecy regarding Job Sucess Scores.

I'm writing to point out what I belive is a flaw in the system that has negatively impacted my previous 100% JSS. 

In short, I had have been doing work for a cleint the past 6 months that began with an initial conract which ended very successfully and therefore resulted in more contracts with this client. All was well until the last contract when we had a disagreement over a $50 milestone for change requests which I submitted for approval. Instead of working with me to resolve the issue, the client abruptly closed the contract and left me a low score. That's fine I suppose and will happen sometimes. 

What's not fine and I beleive a flaw in the system is that the client also went back to 3 previous contracts which were compelted but never closed and also closed these with low ratings. This resulted in 4 contracts with low scores all in the same day due to a cleint who seemly did this in spite over a small disagreement for one contract. 

Given I have only completed 13 contracts and received 8 reviews on UpWork this has resulted in what I beleive is an unfair impact on a pecentage basis. I went from 100% to 55% in a single day due to one client who seems to have done this in spite. Moving forward, I will be sure to close all previous contracts before accepting a new one from a client.

That said, this won't soleve the current issue. Can you or someone else on your team look into this matter for me? 

Thank you,

Charles

[5ca631cd]

I have the same question on why my JSS is only 75%. I got 5 completed projects, and 3 were scored which are 4, 5, and 5. The support team said they cannot reveal how the JSS is calculated.  I don't understand the policy. Would transparency be encouraged here? It's a frustrating experience. 

[mary_reznichenko]

why has my rating dropped to 50%? I have all my projects completed! how to fix it?

[deborah-ponzio]

Could you please clarify the meaning of the "contract closure" history within the JSS calculation? It is not clear whether closing contracts, and by whom (client or freelancer?) is a positive or a negative, and under which circumstances. I would be grateful for advice on this one, thank you

[24960ca4]

Please I really need help 

my job success score dropped from 100 to 78 without any project completion but now it 2 weeks since I completed another project and got 5star review but there is no change in job success score 

please there is a problem 

[756341d1]

Hi there,

I successfully completed a job and got a 5 star rating and a very good public feedback.

I also won another contract, but upon accepting the contract , I refused to work (Turn on the tracker ) because I discovered the client didn't really know what he wanted and wasn't entirely transparent on his job post.

He also attempted to make me begin work the same Night I accepted the contract, at almost 12 midnight. Which I insisted I would begin in the morning (his time), the next day, simple.

He ended the contract 1 am my time barely 3 hours after I accepted.

So I just go my first JSS and I'm shocked to see it's 60%.

I'm posting this so others would learn to study clients before accepting contracts even if discussions during interviews have been good.

• I want a staff to clarify why my JSS is 60%, and if this is because the other contract (where I refused to take his money) is responsible for this poor JSS.

I have basically given up on this platform,  I've seen articles of people with higher than 85% JSS complaining on securing roles.

The 60% is the end of the line for me.

Its also important I mention that I have just 1 completed Job with 100% score and the other was meant to be the second. Also note that the client on the shortlived contract didnt give any public feedbck (Im not sure the contract even qualified for a feedback.)

Does it even make sense calculating a JSS on  an hourly contract where $0 was earned?, cancelled after 3 hours.

I'm really interested in a response from a staff.

I don't understand.

[d8fef05e]

Hello Upwork Support Team,

I embarked on my freelance journey on your platform two weeks ago and have had a positive start, successfully completing several projects with 5-star ratings, except for one. In this case, the client ended the contract without leaving feedback, prompting me to issue a refund. Surprisingly, the client returned the funds a couple of days later with a note of thanks. However, my profile now displays a "No feedback given" notice for this job. I'm curious if refunding the payment once more would remove this from my profile. Additionally, today marks the day my Job Success Score (JSS) becomes visible, and it's disheartening to see it at 67%. I find it hard to believe that a $5 job could so significantly impact my score, especially in light of my larger, positively-reviewed projects. Could you advise on how to address this situation?

[ArjayM]

Hi Sneha,

I'm sorry to learn about the drop in your score. Please remember that your Job Success Score can change for several reasons, even without recent activity. It takes into consideration a number of different factors,, including public and private feedback, contract-ending history, dispute history, and long-term customer relationships.

Typically, changes occur when new contracts are added that impact your JSS or when older activity is aged out of your JSS. We display your best JSS score from the 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month periods that we use to calculate the JSS, and those time frames are updated every two weeks.

[6d0a16c4]

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention an issue I have been experiencing with the update of my Job Success Score (JSS) on the platform.

It has come to my notice that my JSS has not been updated for the past month, despite completing several projects during this time period. As my JSS is an important metric that reflects my performance and reputation on the platform, this delay is concerning to me.

I have been proactive in delivering high-quality work and maintaining positive relationships with my clients, and I believe that my recent projects should have positively impacted my JSS. However, the lack of update is preventing me from accurately assessing my performance and may potentially affect my opportunities for future projects.

I kindly request your assistance in resolving this issue promptly. It is crucial for freelancers like myself to have access to accurate and up-to-date performance metrics in order to effectively manage our profiles and maintain our competitiveness on the platform.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to a swift resolution. 

[landoncolvig]

Would Upwork be able to exclude closed contracts that have no feedback? They are bringing down my JSS, and I will just avoid ending any old contracts unless the calculation starts excluding closed contracts that have no feedback

[98ad7340]

Hi, 

This week my JSS decreased 1%, I don't know why it's happens 

[abixbg]

My JSS was decreased today out of nowhere! WTF!? This doesnt align with any contract in the past 12 months. I have not worked or have active contract since last year because i am focusing on a personal project, but i still HAD the intent to return here, but i am not really sure i will anymore. 

[jamesdavis76]

Brandon: My JSS score was reduced from 86% to 81% with not explanation. How can I correct that?

Thanks, 

James D

[brandmagicla]

I have been away from Upwork for awhile. I was rated as Top Talent for several years, up to 2021. I left for awhile because I was so busy with my own clients, then I came back to Upwork. I see  now, that I have zero succcess rate. Meaning I am starting from ground zero. I know that unless you are listed as Top talent, clients don't even look at you, much less hire you. And I do not qualify as new talent, hence, I do not see myself being ever seen at all...Do you have any other ideas rather than starting from ground zero, this seems very unfair.

[ekate_v]

Hi everyone!
I would like to suggest some improvements as well.
First of all, I adore Upwork for opportunities it provides and professionalism. But still there is always some space for improvements.

I'm not sure about Upwork's priorities, what is better for the platform. I guess Upwork is interested in metrics that show numbers of completed contracts per month (my hypothesis). And it's a good product-led approach, users should be active in all senses.
At the same time, there are cases when the contract is one and long (mine lasted for 3 years and 10 months, 40 hours per week). Such long collaboration says a lot about the freelancer's reliability and professionalism, doesn't it?
By the way, Upwork got their service fees constantly throughout all this time.

But what we have as the logical income, nothing, no good rate of completed jobs (of course, only one), no badge to celebrate this achievement. I lost the "Rising Talent" badge, because I'm not a beginner anymore and have no recognition from Upwork at all.

Even the feedback about my work wasn't shown at once because of some technical issues until the moment I asked about it from support.

[c6f32990]

Hi Brandon,

I am new to Upwork. Below is the information that you can use to correct the shocking JSS that I just saw today in my profile:

1. I only have one 5-star rating when I got a 50% success score. The first client I had gave me great feedback and five stars

2. The lousy score may be due to the second client who hired me but did not close the contract. I closed the contract myself and contacted my client, who gave me five stars with great feedback. The project was a success.

3. I have one offer that I did not accept as the directions of the client were vague

4. I have one contract I closed (a fixed project) because the client was rude.

5. I currently have one ongoing hourly project (I logged in my hours after I worked). I actually value my work to my client, as my actual work hours are more than the logged-in hours, but it's okay; I am willing to go the extra mile for my current client. I hope that is not the issue.

*** . So my question is, why does it say you will get JSS when you have two finished projects, but I got my 50% JSS after only one successful client project?

And question #2: Can you please correct this if you find the issue on your end?

Question #3: How can I prevent this from happening again? ( if this circumstance is within my power to avoid).

I believe all freelancers here are doing their best, but to be given a 50% success score without a valid reason (and especially not congruent with the JSS update) is utterly unfair. 

Please clarify this issue for me and fix my JSS.

Thank you so much, and looking forward to hearing from you.

[03e056ca]

Hello! My Job Success Score (JSS) has not been updated for around 17 days. The last update was on May 3, 2024. Today is May 20, 2024, but it's still not updated. I also received a 5-star job feedback on May 16, 2024.