Solved: Re: Between Rising Talent and Top Rated

dena-standley · ‎09-01-2019

I lost and got back, my rising Talent Badge in a week. Today, I have my first job success score. Do you lose rising talent once you have a JSS? What about the benefits such as a digest of recommended jobs and being more noticeable to clients? If I understand correctly, it will take a minimum of 13 weeks to receive top-rated (assuming I can keep my scores high, etc). Just curious how the time between Rising Talent and hopefully receiving top-rated status works? I noticed a large jump in profile views in the short time since receiving my Rising Talent badge? Also, it is still on my profile along with my JSS. Should I expect it to go away soon?

gilbert-phyllis · ‎09-01-2019

UW awards the RT badge at its own discretion, to FLs who look promising upon entry. Anyone who doesn't follow through can lose it at any time. As soon as you qualify for a JSS, the RT badge disappears. From then on, you need to focus on keeping your JSS as high as possible and absolutely above 90%. Once you've stayed above 90% for 13 of the previous 16 weeks, you become Top Rated. The main advantage of being TR is that you can have bad client feedback removed from your JSS calculation. You can use that perk once every 3 mos/10 contracts. So if a client dings you badly enough to do damage, you can deal with it.

None of these things are absolute silver bullets when it comes to landing contracts. IMO if you're serious about your long-term FL career, then focus on finding clients and projects that are perfect fits for your capabilities and goals. Listen to your spidey sense and avoid any that smell flakey or unscrupulous. Deliver to the very best of your ability every time. Always be prepared to be the grown-up in the room with a difficult client. Be flexible but don't sell yourself short. Keep an eye on the long view. Do all that, and your stats will take care of themselves.

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martina_plaschka · ‎09-01-2019

Dena S wrote:
I lost and got back, my rising Talent Badge in a week. Today, I have my first job success score. Do you lose rising talent once you have a JSS? What about the benefits such as a digest of recommended jobs and being more noticeable to clients? If I understand correctly, it will take a minimum of 13 weeks to receive top-rated (assuming I can keep my scores high, etc). Just curious how the time between Rising Talent and hopefully receiving top-rated status works? I noticed a large jump in profile views in the short time since receiving my Rising Talent badge? Also, it is still on my profile along with my JSS. Should I expect it to go away soon?

I think it is already gone, in any case, you can't be rising talent and have a JSS at the same time. ~~Being top rated is not something that the client can select when looking for freelancers, so don't expect it to make a big difference.~~ edited

ambroz · ‎09-01-2019

Anyway ... I do not understand the "system of rising talent". I think it could be missinterpreted by the clients.

As I understand it is given based on what you write on your profile, not how good you are. It is funny to call somebody 'a talent', without any working hour.

gilbert-phyllis · ‎09-01-2019

Martina P wrote:
Dena S wrote:
I lost and got back, my rising Talent Badge in a week. Today, I have my first job success score. Do you lose rising talent once you have a JSS? What about the benefits such as a digest of recommended jobs and being more noticeable to clients? If I understand correctly, it will take a minimum of 13 weeks to receive top-rated (assuming I can keep my scores high, etc). Just curious how the time between Rising Talent and hopefully receiving top-rated status works? I noticed a large jump in profile views in the short time since receiving my Rising Talent badge? Also, it is still on my profile along with my JSS. Should I expect it to go away soon?
I think it is already gone, in any case, you can't be rising talent and have a JSS at the same time. Being top rated is not something that the client can select when looking for freelancers, so don't expect it to make a big difference.

Clients on a plus plan are able to filter for Top Rated and or Rising Talent FLs when they search. (I can see both filters from my client account, they are locked because I am on the free plan.)

gilbert-phyllis · ‎09-01-2019

UW awards the RT badge at its own discretion, to FLs who look promising upon entry. Anyone who doesn't follow through can lose it at any time. As soon as you qualify for a JSS, the RT badge disappears. From then on, you need to focus on keeping your JSS as high as possible and absolutely above 90%. Once you've stayed above 90% for 13 of the previous 16 weeks, you become Top Rated. The main advantage of being TR is that you can have bad client feedback removed from your JSS calculation. You can use that perk once every 3 mos/10 contracts. So if a client dings you badly enough to do damage, you can deal with it.

None of these things are absolute silver bullets when it comes to landing contracts. IMO if you're serious about your long-term FL career, then focus on finding clients and projects that are perfect fits for your capabilities and goals. Listen to your spidey sense and avoid any that smell flakey or unscrupulous. Deliver to the very best of your ability every time. Always be prepared to be the grown-up in the room with a difficult client. Be flexible but don't sell yourself short. Keep an eye on the long view. Do all that, and your stats will take care of themselves.

dena-standley · ‎09-01-2019

Great advice, Phyllis. Before I even knew there was a community on here, I read several blogs about getting started. Of course, they all said “take the low paying jobs, and do a great job. Build up from there.” Made sense, so that’s what I did. It worked, sort of. I did get some great reviews, BUT then all my clients didn’t understand why I wouldn’t do their jobs for $20.00. Working hard to get some feedback for bigger, longer-term jobs to no longer have that particular albatross around my neck. It is tough for new freelancers, but MY advice would be start with a very specialized niche to find those first clients. Anyway, off topic and a bit of a rant. I do think you are right, being careful about clients, doing your best work for EVERY client and not focusing too much on a JSS is probably the key.