How to write a review for my freelancer?

[allstarrsocial]

I really don't like all the changes odesk has made. The help and search is useless. It doesn't seem to matter what I look for, as the top several questions relate to getting paid in different countries, and other generics. I'm trying to figure out how to write a review for my freelancer, and the good work done, and give a 5 star, but can't figure it out. Help.

[natacharodriguez]

How and when can I leave feedback on a contract?

[d98b9176]

I could not find it either

You have to "close the job" even after you have released funds

It should be more obvious so that people know to do that step

[vramasamy12]

I am not able to review my freelancer work. You have made it so complex . It looks like you have 14 days limit. How am i supposed to know?

[kochubei_valeria]

Hi Venkataragavan,

You can still provide your feedback to the freelancer even if the 14-days window has ended. Just ask the freelancer to enable you to leave feedback. Please, see this help article for more information.

[ellio344]

Hi Valerie. 

I'm a freelancer here.... what do I need to do to "allow" my client to leave me feedback after the 14 day window has closed? 

[colettelewis]

---

@Nicole E wrote:

Hi Valerie. 

I'm a freelancer here.... what do I need to do to "allow" my client to leave me feedback after the 14 day window has closed? 

---

Ask the client (politely) to close the contract and leave feedback.

[ellio344]

The contract has already been closed. The problem is that the 14 day deadline is up so my client doens't seem to have the option to leave me more feedback. 

[csjarmitage]

To to your "My Jobs" tab.  View all your jobs (even closed).  Click on the contract and you'll see an option to allow your client to provide feedback.

---

@Nicole E wrote:

The contract has already been closed. The problem is that the 14 day deadline is up so my client doens't seem to have the option to leave me more feedback. 

---

[statelinedesign]

I have followed all the links and directions in this thread and have no clue how to allow my client to leave me a review.   I have brought a few clients to this platform and so far all of them are havingthe same issue.   Why should I bring them here if they can't even leave me a review?   

[BojanS]

Hi Stephen,

Please note that the party that ends the contract is required to leave their feedback, the other party has 14 days to leave their feedback. I checked this for you, and you have contracts without Clients feedback which still have the option to ''Enable client to change feedback''. Once you access the contract under "All contracts" and click on the Terms & Settings tab in the contract room, below the ''No feedback received'' you should be seeing an "Enable client to change feedback" link.  If you communicating with your clients you may ask them to change their feedback on those jobs, please read more how to do that on this help article.

Let us know if we can assist you further. Thank you!

[f3766cbd]

So you can't give feedback unless the contract has ended? That makes no sense for me because the contract is ongoing and won't end anytime soon.

[AveryO]

Hi Omar, 

If you would like to leave feedback for the freelancer, you may close your current contract, and create a new contract so that you can leave feedback for your freelancer. 

[079fa49e]

I have just spent 10 minutes searching for how to leave feedback. I was once a freelancer so I know how important it is to get feedback, but if it isn't made clear how to do this, then busy employers just won't bother. It needs to be made obvious that a contract has to be closed before feedback can be left. 

[goviralnow]

Agreed. I can't believe how hard they have made this. And the craziest thing??? When I was looking for the review tab to review my freelancer, I clicked on "Feedback" and it was for feedback for "Upwork"! Where's the info about feedback for the freelancer?

It should be made more obvious, that, if you have had a fixed price contract and it is paid and over, that you still need to click on "close contract" to be able to review the person.

A few too many steps Upwork... 😕

[19005acd]

Not only is it nearly impossible to find, I don't think the time to leave feedback should expire after 14 days.  

It is far easier to find how to leave feedback on elance.

This needs to be fixed ASAP for the benefit of both the freelancer, and the employers who need to see proper feedback in order to make a proper buying decision.

[degrama]

I only leave reviews for contractors who work with me over 10 hours. I'm not really sure how someone can be rated o reviewed effectively under that time period.

I leave reviews which include the following:

Review

Pros: List Three

Cons: List Three

Conclusion: Summary of work

I believe even if you rate someone 5/5 stars and you have actually performed your duty as a manger, you will have constructive criticism which should help the contractor continue to grow professionally.

[jsutherland]

---

@Grant M wrote:

I only leave reviews for contractors who work with me over 10 hours. I'm not really sure how someone can be rated o reviewed effectively under that time period.

I leave reviews which include the following:

Review

Pros: List Three

Cons: List Three

Conclusion: Summary of work

I believe even if you rate someone 5/5 stars and you have actually performed your duty as a manger, you will have constructive criticism which should help the contractor continue to grow professionally.

---

Do you realize how hurtful that will be to freelancers who work for you?

Do you tell people before hiring them for the less than 10 hour jobs that you will be destroying their reputation and job success score on Odesk?

You method is very destructive to those you hire. They trust you, give you good work, perform well and will be punished for taking a job with you.

That's very unfair of you.

[lyambarreau]

Grant, I agree with Jean completely.

I hope to avoid clients like you. I'll assume you don't leave feedback due to ignorance.

When a client doesn't leave feedback, it has a negative impact on freelancers. Upwork are under the (wrong) assumption that if a client doesn't leave feedback for a freelancer, it means the client was dissatisfied with their work. If a freelancer is unlucky enough to have lazy, incompetent and disrespectful clients: they can face suspension. 

You don’t need a freelancer to work 10 hours + to determine if their work was good. This isn’t an annual review of one’s performance...it’s simply feedback.

[degrama]

Perhaps you miss-understood my comment. And worse yet jumped into the conversation with a negative attitude. I apologize, but I see the glass if half full, not the latter and I try not to make assumptions.

In an effort to clarify:

• my hires are for experienced professionals (developers like myself)
• my hires are almost always on-going, 200, 500, 1000+ hours (or more)
• i conduct consistent interviews with all applicants (for fairness)
• i do not discriminate between freelancers (low hours vs high hours)
• i leave fair and honest feedback (and I hope professional freelancers do the same)

@Jean

Do you realize how hurtful that will be to freelancers who work for you?

Do you tell people before hiring them for the less than 10 hour jobs that you will be destroying their reputation and job success score on Odesk?

You method is very destructive to those you hire. They trust you, give you good work, perform well and will be punished for taking a job with you.

That's very unfair of you.

Forgive me but I do not think this is unfair. I have been interviewing and hiring people since 2008 and it is extremely challenging and time consuming to properly filter 100+ applications.

When I post a job it states clearly "on-going for more than six months". I never hire someone for small projects and that is abundantly clear in my job postings.

If someone works for less than 10 hours, then it means they were fired. This can be due to a number of reasons which really isn't the topic of this thread.

Do you think it would be fair that I post my true feedback of the contractor in this case? I believe that would be extremely unfair and even cruel. I do not feel it necessary to destroy someones future just because they were unable to work for my company.

Grant, I agree with Jean completely.

I hope to avoid clients like you. I'll assume you don't leave feedback due to ignorance.

When a client doesn't leave feedback, it has a negative impact on freelancers. Upwork are under the (wrong) assumption that if a client doesn't leave feedback for a freelancer, it means the client was dissatisfied with their work. If a freelancer is unlucky enough to have lazy, incompetent and disrespectful clients: they can face suspension. 

You don’t need a freelancer to work 10 hours + to determine if their work was good. This isn’t an annual review of one’s performance...it’s simply feedback.

I guess this is why it makes sense for UpWork to allow clients / freelancers to maintain a blacklist. I know on more than one occasion, I've had the same contractor apply when I know I will never hire them.

I think you arrived in this scenario by making a lot of assumptions.

When I hire someone they do not even touch "client work" until I know they can actually manage the job. I have the same exact programming task for every new contractor I hire. I've completed the same task myself and I use it as a base result to evaluate future contractors for fairness. Unfortunately, far to many freelancers exaggerate their abilities, experience, and some outright lie. Plus it helps when they actually read the complete job posting!

Therefore, I require ten hours to determine if their work is good, if they show up regularly, if they are dedicated, and ultimately if they are capable of doing the job. Many of the contractors that I've hired have 200 (latest hire), 500, 1000, 2000 plus hours with my company and are professional, dedicated, and have a positive attitude.

So if it is simply feedback, I would rather NOT destroy someone's future simply because they were unable to work for my company. And if it is a professional review after working with contractor for six months, a year, or more then I can easily formulate feedback that is both useful and honest.

Sincerely,

Grant Mucha

PS - It makes sense to properly qualify a job before applying. If you apply to a job you cannot do, then you are taking a big gamble in your reputation and job success score.

[lyambarreau]

Grant,

I made no assumptions. My comment was based on yours:

"I only leave reviews for contractors who work with me over 10 hours. I'm not really sure how someone can be rated o reviewed effectively under that time period."

However, I appreciate the clarity in your response. It doesn't matter how you sugar coat it, by not leaving freelancers feedback, you're damaging their credibility. If you believe a freelancer's performance wasn't to the standard you expected or the freelancer exaggerated their skills, then your comments should show that, regardless of time spent. 

If I hired a writer who produced a one page document full of errors and logged 1 hour work...I'm certain I can assess their performance. Perhaps not in every aspect of the ratings (communication, availability, etc...) but I can get a general idea. I appreciate you're involved in a different category of work so it may differ, but I'm sure the principles remain the same.

Most jobs I take on are less than 10 hours. If every client I had was like you, I'd be suspended...probably indefinitely by now.

With all that said, I do appreciate you want to be professional, honest and accurate with your ratings, but don't do it at the expense of the freelancer's work history. 

[degrama]

If you use this platform on a regular basis, as a client,  as I have over the years, you quickly learn the following:

Freelancers always leave their feedback last.

If I fire someone and leave a 1-3 star review, with negative feedback, I automatically get a 1 star review plus all sorts of nonsense.

If I end a contract for a freelancer who does not show up to work, due to availability issues however their skills and quality are above par. I've left accurate reviews which usually work out between 3 - 4 stars (high in skills, quality, communication and low in availability and deadlines) combined with feedback. I automatically get a 1 star review plus a lot of nonsense,

Often, in this situation freelancers are threatening, insulting, and even causing damage unless i provide a fake 5 star rating. While I've managed to find and hire numerous professional freelancers, I've also come across a large number of unprofessional freelancers.

"Most jobs I take on are less than 10 hours. If every client I had was like you, I'd be suspended...probably indefinitely by now."

Are you fired from most of your jobs?

Is your performance or quality sub-standard or poor?

Do you primarily work hourly based jobs?

Based on your profile, the unequivocal answer is no to all of the above. I would never hire you by the hour and I think you know that, since your profile is almost exclusively flat rate. If the majority of a freelancers jobs are less than ten hours, it is safe to say that a very high percentage will be flat rate.

Which means, if every client was like me. I would hire you flat rate, likely for something trivial that required only a few hours of work. You would no doubtly perform outstanding and receive 5 stars and a glowing review. Given it is often hard to find stellar employees, I would typically follow-up with a part-time or even full-time offer for ongoing work.

The unfortunate element to this thread is your complete lack of perception to anothers situation and for some odd reason applying it to yourself. It makes absolutely no sense and unfortunately you appear intolerant. Someone asked a question and I answered it based on my situation (not yours, not someone elses, my own). Perhaps you can offer the same from your perspective rather than berating mine.

Sincerely,

Grant Mucha

[kugrin]

---

@Grant M wrote:

If you use this platform on a regular basis, as a client,  as I have over the years, you quickly learn the following:

Freelancers always leave their feedback last.

If I fire someone and leave a 1-3 star review, with negative feedback, I automatically get a 1 star review plus all sorts of nonsense.

---

Grant, the feedback system is double blind. Feedback only becomes publicly visible after both parties left the feedback, or 14 days passed after which point leaving feedback is only possible by enabling the other party to change feedback. So those freelancers would've you left you a 1 star regardless of your rating to them. It also makes sense for freelancers to always be leaving feedback last if you are the one ending the contract. 

[elastella]

---

@Krisztina U wrote:

---

Grant, the feedback system is double blind. Feedback only becomes publicly visible after both parties left the feedback, or 14 days passed after which point leaving feedback is only possible by enabling the other party to change feedback. 

---

 Not only does it only become publicly visible after both parties left feedback - a freelancer cannot see a client's  feedback until he/she has left feedback as well. So yes, a freelancer doesn't know how you rated them until after they have left feedback themselves.

[degrama]

That makes sense if you never speak with your freelancer. Obviously I communicate with the contractors why they are being let go and if we can figure out a solution together. So unfortunately when feedback is left they are already well aware they are being fired. Even with a double blind system, if a client randomly ends a contract, most freelancers are going to be upset and frustrated. (often resulting in poor feedback).

[degrama]

Grant, the feedback system is double blind. Feedback only becomes publicly visible after both parties left the feedback

Correct, I am fully aware of that! Regardless, freelancers are always aware they are being let go and why before the contracted is ended.

So those freelancers would've you left you a 1 star regardless of your rating to them.

Exactly, which is why I stopped leaving feedback in this scenario. There is absolutely NO point for me to leave someone an honest 3/4 rating when I am receiving a 1 star rating out of spite. Not to mention all of the other repercussions that follow if the wrong person is fired. (hacking, etc).

[kugrin]

---

@Grant M wrote:

So those freelancers would've you left you a 1 star regardless of your rating to them.

Exactly, which is why I stopped leaving feedback in this scenario. There is absolutely NO point for me to leave someone an honest 3/4 rating when I am receiving a 1 star rating out of spite. Not to mention all of the other repercussions that follow if the wrong person is fired. (hacking, etc).

---

But even if you don't leave them a feedback, they can still rate you a 1, so unless you agree with them that no feedback will be exchanged, which well, would be a violation of the TOS, they'd still leave you a 1, therefor you not leaving a feedback makes no sense?

Don't get me wrong, I do agree and sympathize with many of the points you raised, but I view a history of no feedback the same way I view a history of really low ratings, so I am not convinced you are doing yourself and the freelancer a favor by applying that strategy. The only way to get rid of the feedback complainers is to report them, so the next client won't have to deal with them. I also think that the written feedback says a lot more than the star rating, and the response to low feedback is the most helpful because it shows whether someone can remain professional in a challenging and somewhat emotional situation. And most importantly, it's the hidden feedback that ranks a freelancer up or down anyway.

[degrama]

They both go hand in hand. However, perhaps this is due to the fact most of the time I've closed the contract before the freelancer has invested a lot of time, less than 10 hours. If I do not leave stars / feedback and just close the contract, perhaps they just end up doing the same. Probably just a combination of luck but it just seems to work for my situation.

And most importantly, it's the hidden feedback that ranks a freelancer up or down anyway.

Exactly!

The only way to get rid of the feedback complainers is to report them, so the next client won't have to deal with them.

Unfortunately this does nothing, or at least is has not in the past.

The big issue for me is that I've been here since 2008, or early 2009. So I've seen and experienced a lot of both postive and negative things which have helped establish my list of best practices that work for me. A portion of this may apply to oDesk (premerge), oDesk after, and now UpWork.

[michaeldk]

Whatever is the matter currently with the feedback system : Upwork, fix it asap.

I now have several clients who have no idea how to leave feedback. This never happened on Odesk.

Even worse, one of them called your helpdesk to get it sorted out and in the end STILL doesn't know how to leave feedback. This is utterly useless and frustrating, especially if you consider how the Job Success factor is made.

Basically what Upwork has done is mess up the system of oDesk (whatever it was, it worked), and then coupled the results of their poor decision and UI design to a rating we cannot control. Great work. 

[031503eb]

that's because there are so many scammers on ODESK now I also read they can hide negative reviews!

My frelancer scammed me and I cant figure out how to review him not that it will matter if he can JUST HIDE IT! I'm so done with this SITE!

[david_gregory]

---

@Sydney S wrote:

that's because there are so many scammers on ODESK now I also read they can hide negative reviews!

My frelancer scammed me and I cant figure out how to review him not that it will matter if he can JUST HIDE IT! I'm so done with this SITE!

---

 You can leave feedback when you close the contract. If the freelancer closed the contract, then you need to find the closed contract on your page and click on it. This should let you leave feedback  as long as the contract has not been closed for more than fourteen days (I think; I'm not a client).

Also, freelancers cannot hide feedback. They used to be able to do this but not any longer. The freelancer can get rid of your feedback by refunding all of your money but the private feedback you leave will still have an effect on the freelancer's JSS score, which is the main score the site uses now.

[VladimirG]

Hi Sydney,

I took a detailed look and see the contract you're referring to was closed on October 1, and the freelancer approved the refund of Escrowed funds for the remaining Milestone back to your payment method. As our Support agent explained, you need to reach out to the freelancer and ask them to enable the option for you to leave feedback, since the option has expired.

I can confirm David's statement that freelancers can't hide client's feedback.

[79093b68]

guys there is still no explanation for how to leave feedback for freelancers

[Anonymous-User]

---

@Chris S wrote:

guys there is still no explanation for how to leave feedback for freelancers

___________________

The freelancer should go to his contracts and enable you to change/add feedback. Good luck!

Feedback to Freelancer

No Feedback Received

Enable client to change feedback 

[kochubei_valeria]

Hi Chris,

You will be prompted to leave feedback to your freelancer when you end the contract. Please, check out this help article for details.

[kwhitedesigns]

No feeback = negative feedback. If a freelancer completes a project for you, no matter how small, you should provide them with honest feeback. Even if the feedback is 5 stars and "completed task as requested" is the comment. Freelancers have to leave feedback for you before we can get paid.

[petra_r]

---

@Kiara W wrote:

Freelancers have to leave feedback for you before we can get paid.

---

 Freelancers do NOT have to leave feedback before they can get paid.

The person who closes the contract has to leave feedback, it is impossible to close a contract without leaving feedback.

[arturspush]

A very simple issue made so messy! I'm new to Upwork but my first client isn't /I'm a freelancer here). Yet, he asked me to send him a link where he can leave a feedback for me. So I just ask him to end the contract and he will see that link after he does it? With all due respect, reading all those comments here on this thread and receiving this question from my client, Upwork should think about ways how to make this more obvious to both employers and freelancers so we don't need to spend time for silly issues like this. If you don't know how to solve this, just add a comment in a visible place for an employer that he/she will be able to leave a feedback once he/she closes the contratc.

Regards,

Arturs

[VladimirG]

Hi Arturs,

I've checked your communication and see you unfortunately shared incorrect instructions with your client. The steps you've shared apply in case the freelancer ended a contract, which is not the case here.

Please ask your client to follow the instructions I've shared in this thread and which can be found in this Help article as well. Note there are only two steps when ending a contract from the client's end and they are automatically prompted to leave their rating for you.

Please feel free to search our Help Center first if you have any product questions, as our Help articles do contain almost all the information you need about the platform's processes.