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morrisk
Community Member

Rising Talent vs. Success Rate

How does Upwork determine "Rising Talent"? Is it determined by how many "jobs" have been tasked since Upwork implemented Upwork Plus (Freelance paid membership) or since the merge with oDesk and Elance? For example, I noticed another Freelancer has a success rate of 75% with only 4 jobs and 166 hours worked. I have been a member for 8+ years with 51 jobs and 3832 hours worked, but considered a "Rising Talent".

11 REPLIES 11
petra_r
Community Member


Kimberly M wrote:

?For example, I noticed another Freelancer has a success rate of 75% with only 4 jobs and 166 hours worked. I have been a member for 8+ years with 51 jobs and 3832 hours worked, but considered a "Rising Talent".


Rising Talent is MUCH better than a 75% JSS (which is apallingly bad)

Chances are you don't have enough completed contracts in the maximum window for calculating the JSS (2 years)

 

You need (usually) at least 4 completed contracts from at least 3 different clients in the last 6, 12 or 24 months.

 

morrisk
Community Member

Has Upwork conducted study with employers about their take on these terms? As I previously posted, an employer stated he saw "Rising Talent" and to his business and others the term suggests NEW or LACK OF EXPERIENCE with the platform so he didn't go further to view my proposal. 

 

The new rating system is a hinderance and shines a bad light on Freelancers. "You need (usually) at least 4 completed contracts from at least 3 different clients in the last 6, 12 or 24 months." I can't speak for any other Freelancers, but I'd prefer 1 client on a conistent basis rather than 3 different clients over the course of months. When I started on oDesk I had 1 client for at least a year and 2 with Elance. 

 

While such complicated systems are applied to Freelancers, I still see the same scammy, low paying, crappy employers posting jobs that expect a lot for nothing. 

morrisk
Community Member

Not to mention, I brought an employer to Upwork to make our working relationship a little more organized and so she could find other Freelancers to join her network. She was taken back by  the upcharge and fees, the contract lasted for a month and she returned to conducting our business prior to introducing her to Upwork. She was fortunate to find other Freelancers for less than my fees, but she's considering a different platform because Upwork is not serving as well as I suggested. 

 

In addition, how does locking an account benefit anyone? I've asked this question repeatedly. And once again I ask, why would Freelancers pay for connects with issues that limit or hinder their chance for success? 

petra_r
Community Member

So how many active, ongoing contracts do you have?

How many contracts have you completed over the last 2 years?

morrisk
Community Member

I'm sure I asked questions you, like many others, can't seem to answer, but since you're answering questions with a question. NONE @"So how many active, ongoing contracts do you have?" As I stated previously, the "employer" I brought to Upwork decided it was not worth their effort and cost to remain on Upwork for our business relationship. And another client who viewed my profile via Upwork viewed my profile on another platform and decided the other to be the better so we work via that platform. By all means please define "completed"; that's something NEW with Upwork prior to oDesk and Elance, which I still say provided BETTER services for Freelancers than Upwork thus far. 

 

I get it, your role is to provide the best possible answers or comments to inquiries or conversation. But with all of the changes they still seem to hinder Freelancers with real ability to provide quality work seeking something more than micro-tasks. 

petra_r
Community Member


Kimberly M wrote:

I'm sure I asked questions you, like many others, can't seem to answer, but since you're answering questions with a question. NONE @"So how many active, ongoing contracts do you have?"


I answered your question.

You have no JSS because you don't have enough contracts in your maximum calculation window to calculate a JSS from.

 


Kimberly M wrote:

 By all means please define "completed";


Not sure why you need a definition of what a completed contract is... It is one where you were hired and the contract concluded (ended.)

 

Having a Rising Talent badge is good for you as all weeks you spend with Rising Talent status count towards your top rated eligible weeks, so once you get a JSS it'll be quicker / easier to achieve top rated status.

 


Kimberly M wrote:

 

I get it, your role is to provide the best possible answers or comments to inquiries or conversation.


Nope, my role is absolutely bugger all, I am just a fellow freelancer socializing with my fellow freelancers on the user-forum.

morrisk
Community Member

Yet this one was not answered, "Has Upwork conducted study with employers about their take on these terms?" 

 

I receive Premium Talent and Top Rated suggestions and email all the time; but it seems Rising Talent is the one that has clients assuming I'm new with no experience via Upwork.

 

If Upwork wants pay for connects maybe they need to do better at cleaning up the system in and of itself. The fact I have several open contracts that are not "completed" from more than 2 years ago contradicts the new part of Rising Talent. It only makes sense to make an account private when the actual Freelancer is truly inactive and not applying rather than those who are vetting the client the same as the client would vet them. But that's my opinion. 


Kimberly M wrote:

Not to mention, I brought an employer to Upwork to make our working relationship a little more organized and so she could find other Freelancers to join her network. She was taken back by  the upcharge and fees, the contract lasted for a month and she returned to conducting our business prior to introducing her to Upwork. She was fortunate to find other Freelancers for less than my fees, but she's considering a different platform because Upwork is not serving as well as I suggested. 

What "upcharge and fees" are you talking about? A client pays whatever the FL charges plus 2.75% to cover the cost of processing the transaction. 

In addition, how does locking an account benefit anyone?

Are you referring to UW setting a profile to Private if the FL goes 30 days without earnings? If so, the reason for that is to save clients from having to search through thousands of inactive FL profiles. If your profile gets set to private for lack of earnings, all you have to do is request CS to change it back to public. 

I've asked this question repeatedly. And once again I ask, why would Freelancers pay for connects with issues that limit or hinder their chance for success? 

Paying for connects is a business expense. In return for that investment and the percentage UW takes, FLs get exposure to more clients than they could reach without spending LOTS of money on marketing and biz dev; and free invoicing service. It may or may not be worthwhile for an individual FL, depending on their field and other variables. 

 

Re. your original question: Rising Talent is an interim "gold star" that UW gives to new FLs before they build enough job history to qualify for a JSS calculation. It's nice to have but not necessary, and as soon as you get a JSS it goes away. It's more worthwhile to focus on achieving Top Rated status, once you get a JSS. That one actually comes with some perks.


 

I quoted their words and it still costs more than what they were paying outside of Upwork, no matter the percent @ "A client pays whatever the FL charges plus 2.75% to cover the cost of processing the transaction." 

Wrong word "locked" for the same action "private", it still doesn't allow the Freelancer to appear in a search. Inactive would suggest NO ACTIVITIY period, not lack of earning. Again, it's a hinderance. I've made the request; they have yet to comply. And it's really silly to have to keep requesting the same thing every 30 days because money is not being earned although the Freelancer is technically active on the site. Let me be clear, my question wasn't WHY. 

Are you referring to UW setting a profile to Private if the FL goes 30 days without earnings? If so, the reason for that is to save clients from having to search through thousands of inactive FL profiles. If your profile gets set to private for lack of earnings, all you have to do is request CS to change it back to public. 

You're entitled to your opinion @"business expense", but I've never paid to apply for a job nor do I consider it an investment. 

Paying for connects is a business expense. In return for that investment and the percentage UW takes, FLs get exposure to more clients than they could reach without spending LOTS of money on marketing and biz dev; and free invoicing service. It may or may not be worthwhile for an individual FL, depending on their field and other variables. 

You might be comfortable after a 2-3 year membership being considered NEW, after 8 yeas I'm not. When I first started with oDesk I accepted almost any offer to get my feet wet, but over time I sought projects that matched the value I bring. My rates and how I search are no longer about being new, but about experience, history, value and skill. If a client is stating "Rising Talent" suggests something less and it prevents them from looking further there seems to be an issue. Specifically, if a client is seeking someone who has had time with clients via Upwork. I'm not new to this platform, I'm just new to understanding the view from the client. I haven't hired via this platform in a long time. 

Not to mention, it's confusing for a client when I mention "Premium Talent" Freelancer while "Rising Star" suggests NEW. Maybe Upwork should test drive the use of Premium Talent vs. Rising Star instead of Job Success. 

Re. your original question: Rising Talent is an interim "gold star" that UW gives to new FLs before they build enough job history to qualify for a JSS calculation. It's nice to have but not necessary, and as soon as you get a JSS it goes away. It's more worthwhile to focus on achieving Top Rated status, once you get a JSS. That one actually comes with some perks.

 

 

petra_r
Community Member


Kimberly M wrote:

 

Wrong word "locked" for the same action "private", it still doesn't allow the Freelancer to appear in a search. Inactive would suggest NO ACTIVITIY period, not lack of earning.


If someone is consistently "active" and that activity leads to no earnings (meaning income for the freelancer and the platform) then, considering that there are way too many freelancers on the platform, that kind of freelancer is problematic.

 

There are only 2 reasons why someone can be active but not earn anything: Either what they have to offer is not attractive to clients, or they take clients off the platform. Either way such freelancers contribute nothing to the bottom line.

 

It is like a product in a shop. Why would a shop want to advertise and give premium shelf-space to products nobody wants to buy?

 

 

 

morrisk
Community Member

You're entitled to your opinion, it doesn't change mine. If your worth and value allow anything so be it. I still stand on Upwork needs to work on the system as a whole and the changes are an added problem. 

 

To take someone from something means they find no value in being there and the willing can't be taken, they just go and invite others to join. If clients see a questionable view, it only makes sense to address the concerns. If Freelancers see a questionable view it only makes sense to address the concerns, but then again this conversation is not with an Upwork rep but just another Freelancer so there's that. 

 

If the product is not in view for customers to see, it'll never get sold............even if they call it Premium or Top Rated. 

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