Low JSS

[7a057797]

Hello, I was working on Upwork for about 2 months, having my clients satisfied with my work and giving me either 4.5, 4.7, or even 5 stars and awesome feedback, and all the work was done completely, when my JSS appeared it is 77%. How did this happen?

Additional notes:

- All contracts ended successfully when they offer me and I accept them, but not all of the interviews or invitations ended up being contracts or offers, Does this affect me?

- How can I overcome this problem as it destroyed my profile, reaching out to new clients became hard (I only have two long term clients, who came before this problem, how can I harness them to overcome the problem)

Thanks in advance 🙂

[3a49d474 · Accepted solution]

...having my clients satisfied with my work and giving me either 4.5, 4.7, or even 5 stars and awesome feedback, and all the work was done completely, when my JSS appeared it is 77%. How did this happen?

---

Public feedback does not affect JSS. But the private feedback does. Your JSS is low because the clients(Probably the projects ended with 4.5 and 4.7 stars) haven't given you good private feedback.  

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

Additional notes:

- All contracts ended successfully when they offer me and I accept them, but not all of the interviews or invitations ended up being contracts or offers, Does this affect me?

---

No

---

[d_samuel_udokpok]

All of your clients gave you good public feedback but that "Data Visualization" contract has more effect on your JSS. Within you, you know what happened on that contract. The client was probably looking for an expert, did you perform the data visualization expertly? When clients aren't satisfied or you don't meet their expectations, they can drop private feedback which is what Upwork used in decision making

[mikeniner]

Did you get 77%? You're a lucky guy! I got 44%. And with this JSS, I'm OUT of business. Reasons? I don't know. I'm a "noob" here (but on the route in life since 1996), 8 jobs 100% complete, good feedback but... this 44% throws me out of the game. I wish better luck to all of you. Cheers!

[0326d7dc]

Amazing ...

[7651c313]

You shouldn't give up, My JSS was dropped to sub-50 % too after one client purposefully gave me bad reviews for the same project because he split it up to make me do free work for him and gave me 3 1-star reviews when I refused. I was able to get out of it though, I just refunded all his contracts (they were a total of 80$ so it was not a big deal. Writing around 1000 lines of code and getting a terrible review was though). I could still get a few jobs after that and start rebounding (I am at 70% right now, not good but better). So don't worry too much just try.

[yasirtariq2171]

I had one client last who really affected my JSS too. Can I please know what do you exclusively write in your proposals for the clients to even consider looking at the proposals and interviewing you for the jobs? Thank you.

[6ec0aaab]

You ain't a noob sincerely. When my rising talent was replaced with jss 2weeks ago.  I had 46%. Actually I wasn't happy but I didn't give up. Yes it can be frustrating. Currently I'm on 60%. I know it will keep increasing. 

[anuarsar]

Need Upwork to check if something is wrong with JSS calculation for my profile. JSS is frozen for more than 5 months, with no reaction to newer scores from my clients (and they are highest rating scores...). Can you please check and let me know. Regards!

[anuarsar]

Need Upwork to check if something is wrong with JSS calculation for my profile. JSS is frozen for more than 5 months, with no reaction to newer scores from my clients (and they are highest rating scores...). Can you please check and let me know. Regards!

[martina_plaschka]

It's not frozen. How can it change when your last contract with feedback was November 2021 and the last two contracts are not yet factored in?

[hepaxaz]

Mine seems to be frozen last 5 months also. I just contacted the support but I'm 99 percent sure it's a bug.

[425ee94d]

I completed 5 tasks at Upwork. But I have a lot of work to do. The first 5. Rating Second 4.20 Third 1. Received 4.80 in the fourth and 5 stars in the last project. I provide a very good quality and accessible reliable legal service for my own work. Also, I would like to get good ratings from old customers for future plans for which I provide excellent service. I do not agree with the JSS I am able to provide excellent service at Upwork. At some point I need to properly evaluate my JSS. Upwork needs the help of new and less experienced freelancers. I look forward to your help. My JSS is the reason for this. How to increase it.

[759e32fa]

Hi Bhupendra,

Your JSS reflects your overall contract history with your clients and is based on your (or your agency's) relationships and feedback. We don't reveal the exact calculation for your score because doing so would make it easier for some users to artificially boost their scores. To ensure fairness and accuracy in the marketplace, we need to maintain some privacy with this metric.

Your JSS can change because:

• You’ve received poor public or private feedback from one or more clients
• You’ve received very positive public or private feedback from one or more clients
• A higher-value job is added to your JSS and it outweighs lower-value jobs
• Past jobs are no longer considered because they fall outside the time frame

I suggest that you continue applying for jobs and winning projects to get more feedback from clients and potentially increase your JSS. To read more on this, kindly check this article.

[c28d45de]

Hello Annie Jane B, 
I currently completed 7 jobs on my profile and I got a rising talent badge also. As well as  I have to deal with 2 annoying clients within that period.  It has been showing for 3 days, my Jss was 67%. I don't know how it's dropped like this. I earned $600 within the last 2 months. but I'm really sad at this moment that no one hires me now due to that JSS score. Can you check my profile please please help me? I really want to stand -out on Upwork but unfortunately. I can't imagine, what's happened to my profile. 
Profile: https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01f4e232b70968204a

[jeffreymorris26]

How do you keep winning projects if you have a low JSS? Give it away? I've been on Upwork for a few years now. It's not my main source of revenue but it plays an important role with "filler" work when I'm slow. I've consistently been between 80-100%. I just looked at my score and its now at 67% and I don't understand why. I thought it was becuase one project back in March of 2023 ended, in my estimation, poorly but I got 5 stars. i realize that I could have gotten a negative private review. but that was back in March 2023. I don't always close out jobs on time. Can that affect it? I also don't get most of the jobs I apply for as I'm not the cheapest. 

So with a 67% percent JSS who is going to hire me?  I'm a guy with 30+ years of experience, ran my company with a NY and LA offices, 12 employees, many major design awards, held senior positions at the top global branding agencies and I'm at the mercy of reviews by clients, most of whom don't have any experience working with folks like me.  I seem to get good reivews. It's knda insane.   

[2297e2bc]

Me too.

Sometimes, I wonder if they are scared to hire people with experience? Like the brain saying "it will cost too much" or something!

[jeffreymorris26]

It's been my experience that the majority of clients that I've worked with on Upwork have little experience working with Designers or Agencies. My reasoning is that if they were experienced, they would already have contacts or be able to  reach out to their network to find someone to work with. They are usually ignorant of the process involved, the general costs of our services and the value we bring. It's not the case with everyone, as I've had a knowledgable client or two. But it has been the majority. In addition, very few of them actually know what good work is, but that is another subject. 

Age has not been as big of an issue (as far as I know) but I never tell clients how long I've been practicing. I usually cut it in half. 

With regards to the JSS, In her comments above AJ says "To ensure fairness and accuracy in the marketplace, we need to maintain some privacy with this metric." It ( the private review) is certainly not fair to the freelancer.

[jeffreymorris26]

Hi Annie:

I beg to differ with you. The private review is certainly not fair to the freelancer Nor accurate.

Based on my experience the problem for me as a Branding and Design Consultant and Agency is that the majority of Upwork clients that I've come in contact with (Not all) have little experience in working with Design professionals. If I had a dime for every client who doesn't know the difference between a logo and a Brand Identity...

My reasoning is that if they were experienced, they would already have resources or a network that they could reach out to find someone without having to use Upwork, as do most of my non Upwork clients.

So if these folks have  little experience with Creative professionals and the processes, how can you rely on their feedback to judge the freelancer without at least giving the freelancer the same opportunity? The public reviews don't allow for that as we all try to put on the best face. There are excpetions but you really need to take a look at this because we're getting two sets of reviews. It is not fair. 

Additionally you recommed us to "continue applying for jobs and winning projects..." but with a low JSS, you're not going to be considered unless you give it away for free.

[money5510]

I agree. Upwork does things to make us NOT get jobs. JSS needs to be removed.

[aishasulaiman000]

Hi.

I have 13 jobs on Upwork, 2 of then are in progress and 11 are completed with good score. But my JSS is stuck. 

Please do something about it. It's causing trouble for me . 

[b6da4543]

Hi, I am facing an issue and I need help from Upwork.  Approximately 2 weeks ago my JSS was 99%, after a 4.25 star rating from a client it dropped down to 94%. I contacted the client as it felt unfair, he apologised and willingly changed the review and gave me a 5 star rating. Today my JSS was meant to update and atleast bring me back to 99% but it stayed the same at 94% so this doesn't make sense to me. If a job can bring you down, why can't the reversal of bad rating bring you back up?

[PradeepH]

Hi Ahmed,

Thank you for your message. I am sorry to hear about your JSS. Star ratings are based on public feedback left by clients at the end of a contract as well as the size of those projects. Job Success scores more accurately represent a freelancer’s reputation by taking additional details indicating client satisfaction into consideration. This includes private and public feedback, long-term relationships, rehires, and contracts that do not result in work delivered. The goal is to capture a breadth of information not necessarily reflected in your star rating or profile. You can learn more about JSS here. Please note that feedback changes can only be made to public feedback. Private feedback remains on file, and cannot be edited. Any score at 90% or above is excellent, and puts you on track to earn Top Rated status. We encourage you to worry less about minor changes in your score, and instead focus on your overall work quality. You can read more about boosting your score here. 

Thank you,

Pradeep

[b6da4543]

I understand, appreciate your advice. 

[martina_plaschka]

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Ahmed Q wrote:

Hi, I am facing an issue and I need help from Upwork.  Approximately 2 weeks ago my JSS was 99%, after a 4.25 star rating from a client it dropped down to 94%. I contacted the client as it felt unfair, he apologised and willingly changed the review and gave me a 5 star rating. Today my JSS was meant to update and atleast bring me back to 99% but it stayed the same at 94% so this doesn't make sense to me. If a job can bring you down, why can't the reversal of bad rating bring you back up?

---

Because only the public feedback can be changed, not the private one. The private feedback factors into the JSS calculation. Making your client change the public one doesn't do a thing. 

[b6da4543]

I wasn't aware of that, thank you for explaining it. 

[daguru69]

Brutal...especially if they didn't give you any feedback, even when you solicited it. :o( Bummer 

[93f4b694]

My job success score is too low, which should be higher than this. I have completed a total of 7 jobs out of which 4 clients provided me the good feedback and 3 clients did not provide feedback, Kindly check my job success score which is 48% now, should it be increased or not. I shall be very grateful to you.

[deardipu]

Umair,

Most of your clients gave you poor internal feedback/score that's why you have 48% JSS. Internal feedback matters. 

[759e32fa]

Hi Umair,

Your JSS reflects your overall contract history with your clients and is based on your (or your agency's) relationships and feedback. We don't reveal the exact calculation for your score because doing so would make it easier for some users to artificially boost their scores. To ensure fairness and accuracy in the marketplace, we need to maintain some privacy with this metric.

Your JSS can change because:

• You’ve received poor public or private feedback from one or more clients
• You’ve received very positive public or private feedback from one or more clients
• A higher-value job is added to your JSS and it outweighs lower-value jobs
• Past jobs are no longer considered because they fall outside the time frame

I suggest that you continue applying for jobs and winning projects to get more feedback from clients and potentially increase your JSS. To read more on this, kindly check this article.

[roneemae]

My previous client ended a contract on the 3rd of May with a 5-star rating and another 5-star on the 28th. I know there is a private rating on the client's side but it's confusing to me why my JSS is not updating after a month? 

[759e32fa]

Hi Ronee,

If you've accumulated a block of non-eligible weeks in the past, you'll need to wait for those weeks to fall out of the calculation. When your count doesn't change, it is generally because an eligible week is falling out of the calculation while another is being included. Once non-eligible weeks start falling out of the calculation you'll see an increase in the count. Check out this help article to find a helpful chart explaining this process.

[martina_plaschka]

---

Annie Jane B wrote:

Hi Ronee,

If you've accumulated a block of non-eligible weeks in the past, you'll need to wait for those weeks to fall out of the calculation. When your count doesn't change, it is generally because an eligible week is falling out of the calculation while another is being included. Once non-eligible weeks start falling out of the calculation you'll see an increase in the count. Check out this help article to find a helpful chart explaining this process.

---

That was not her question. 

[sofia2008]

Hi Ronee,

here is JSS is calculated Job Success Score – Upwork Customer Service & Support | Upwork Help

The calculation considers the recent activities you mentionned, but also activities of the last 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. As the time goes by, some older contracts fall of the 3, 6, 12 and 24 months window. The fact that your JSS remains the same might just mean that you recent activities have the same weight (impact) as those activities that are no longer considered in the JSS calculation.

[bdumbadze]

Hello, my job success rate is 69%. recently I did a complete project that my client was so happy with the design. but the Job success rate in my profile has not changed at all!! it is 69% yet!!!

I did a little research on this and found that the low rate is related to the employer's private feedback. I did my best to raise this rate. Please tell me how can I increase this score?

[ArjayM]

Hi Bedisa,

Your JSS reflects your overall contract history with your clients and is based on your (or your agency's) relationships and feedback. We don't reveal the exact calculation for your score because doing so would make it easier for some users to artificially boost their scores. To ensure fairness and accuracy in the marketplace, we need to maintain some privacy with this metric.

Your JSS can change because:

• You’ve received poor public or private feedback from one or more clients
• You’ve received very positive public or private feedback from one or more clients
• A higher-value job is added to your JSS and it outweighs lower-value jobs
• Past jobs are no longer considered because they fall outside the time frame

I suggest that you continue applying for jobs and winning projects to get more feedback from clients and potentially increase your JSS. You can check this article to be more acquainted with how JSS works.

[bdumbadze]

Thank you Arjay,

[martina_plaschka]

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Bedisa D wrote:

Hello, my job success rate is 69%. recently I did a complete project that my client was so happy with the design. but the Job success rate in my profile has not changed at all!! it is 69% yet!!!

I did a little research on this and found that the low rate is related to the employer's private feedback. I did my best to raise this rate. Please tell me how can I increase this score?

---

It only updates every two weeks, so it will improve at the next update. 

[gajera_sandeep]

Hi,

My JSS score not increased in the last  1.5 months, It's  stable at 99%, (Its Good I know but why It not showing me with 100% Previous week I have completed 2 jobs successfully with 5 Star rating )

Clients also satisfied with my work and given 5 start rating for 2 jobs still the same JSS

Can anyone please check this?

Thanks

[roneemae]

I'm having the same sentiment. 🤔