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Job size will now be factored into your JSS

lenaellis
Community Member

UPDATE: The JSS Metric has been updated to reflect the changes that were announced below. As of today, March 1st, all Job Success Scores are now displaying the updated value.


We will soon update JSS metrics to reflect job value in the calculation. Today, a one-week $20 job typically carries the same weight as a one-week $1,000 job in JSS. Soon, JSS will be weighted by job earnings. For example, a one-week $1,000 job will be weighted more than a one-week $20 job. JSS will also exclude contracts with $0 earned and positive feedback. All other JSS policies will remain unchanged.



What does this mean?

We are making this change so a freelancer’s Job Success Score will display a more comprehensive representation of their freelancer workWe understand not all jobs are equal. We know higher budget contracts require more work and freelancers who complete these more complex contracts successfully should get credit for them. Just as longer-term contracts hold more weight in JSS calculations than shorter ones, we believe contract value should also hold significance in the calculation. By giving these jobs more weight, these jobs will have a greater influence on a JSS. 

 

Many freelancers will see an increase in their scores if they’ve successfully completed higher budget contracts in the past. At the same time, a small percentage of freelancers may lose their JSS, see a drop in their scores, or lose their Top Rated badge. Today, we are emailing freelancers whose JSS will see a decline of 5% or more, to let them know they will be affected.  Freelancers that see a drop in their score can improve their JSS by completing more jobs with positive feedback, as it works today. Larger budget contracts with positive feedback will result in a higher increase in JSS, however, all great feedback contributes to JSS and whether you work on large or small contracts you can still reach 100% JSS.

 

This change will take effect in March, at which time all Job Success Scores will be updated retroactively. We know many of you will have questions about this update. We won’t be able to discuss your individual score or outcomes of specific contracts. We have listed some anticipated questions below, let us know if you have any additional questions.



FAQS:

 

Can I know what my new JSS is now before this launches?

We will not be able to provide you with your updated score until the JSS calculation refreshes at launch, in March.

 

Does this mean if I don’t get big contracts I’ll never be able to get a JSS of 100%?

Receiving stellar feedback on smaller budget jobs can still get you to a JSS of 100%. We are only changing the impact of jobs based on earnings. This means that strong client feedback on a higher-budget job could boost your score more than a lower-budget job. All other aspects of JSS will remain the same.

 

How will I know if it affects me?

The majority of freelancers will be affected positively by this change and will see an increase in their scores. We are sending out emails to those who will likely see a drop in their score once the new JSS calculation goes into effect in March. 

 

Can this affect me positively, will my JSS go up?

Yes! The vast majority of freelancers on the platform will see an increase or very little change in their scores. This is because you may have worked on one or more higher paying contracts in the past, and because you received great feedback that great feedback is being weighted more. 

 

Can I lose my JSS?

A small percentage of freelancers may lose their JSS. This is because they had one or more jobs with no earnings. Positive feedback on contracts with no earnings will not be factored into JSS once we move to the new calculation. As a result, some freelancers won’t have enough outcomes to be eligible for a JSS until they successfully complete more jobs. Nearly all freelancers have scores after completing eight projects. 

 

How does weighting work specifically? 

To ensure fairness and avoid manipulation, we don’t share the specifics about how we calculate the Job Success Score. Thanks for your understanding.

 

So if I take a bigger job and get negative feedback that counts more than positive feedback on smaller jobs?
Yes. A job with higher earnings will always impact your Job Success Score (JSS) more than a smaller job. For example, feedback on a $1,000 job carries more weight on your JSS compared to a $20 job. However, receiving poor feedback on a job with more earnings can be balanced out by doing well on a job of the same size in the future or on a number of smaller jobs. 

 

Can I lose my Top Rated badge?

Yes, a small percentage of freelancers who see a decline in their JSS may drop below 90% and lose their Top Rated badge. This is because they received less-than-positive public or private feedback on one or more of their higher-paying contracts. Feedback on contracts with higher earnings will affect JSS more after this new change.

925 Comments
filip_knezevic
Community Member

Jason B wrote:

We all need to take a deep breath and realize JSS is not everything on this platform!  Yes, clients use it as a tool, but it is one of many tools they have to determine if someone is hired.  A few months ago I took a hit from 100% to 92% thanks to a stealthy client leaving bad private feedback.  After that, the next week I applied to 5 jobs in one day.  I was hired on 2 of them.  Three days later I heard back from 2 more and was hired on one of them.  And yes, a week and a half later I was hired on the 5th.  So for me, it seems like a less than perfect JSS helped me tremendously!  With 100% JSS, I was having troubles getting a job out of 10 proposals.

 

Perhaps clients think of 100%'ers as "nah, that cant be real"?  I dont know.  Just sharig my experience.  While at first I was not happy with the 8% drop for a reason I'll never know of, today I am very happy it dropped.

 

With this new job size change, it went up to 95%.  Job acceptance rate is still very high, even on 50+ proposals.  I think I'm just getting good at applying to those jobs only which I know my profile and past experience is perfect for.

 

Just my 2 cents.  I know my profile and other aspects needs work, but it seems to be working for now.  Remember, breathe.  This score is not everything!


Jason, you didn't won the clients because your score dropped, that is a flawed logic.

I think we sometimes tend to take something that happened as granted. While it's great you got five of five proposals (really nice %), I think it more has to do with your proposals, type of clients, a bit of luck added etc. 

els_m
Community Member

Hello all,

I have a few contracts that have become dormant (no activity for over a month) , I e-mailed the client to ask to end them and leave some feedback, but I don't receive any answer.
My JSS has already been affected because of the percentage of clients that didn't leave any feedback, so I am a bit scared that, if I close the contract myself without feedback from the client, my score will drop even further.
On the other hand, if I leave the contract open, it'll affect my JSS as well.

Any thoughts on what's the best solution here? 

Thank you so much!


Els

g_vasilevski
Retired Team Member

Hi Els,

 

I would recommend considering closing a contract or two every two weeks, while completing new contracts to help avoid creating a pattern of contracts without feedback. Thank you.

petra_r
Community Member
Els M wrote:


My JSS has already been affected because of the percentage of clients that didn't leave any feedback


What makes you think that?

 


Els M wrote:

On the other hand, if I leave the contract open, it'll affect my JSS as well.


It makes no difference. Contracts with no feedback and contracts that are long term idle both have either no, or the same effect on your JSS. Usually it is NO effect at all, provided money was paid under the contract at some point in the past.

 

 

helal_morshed
Community Member

I work as a VA on Upwork. I got started working from since year. My JSS was improving as I got more experienced. But, recently it dropped by a great extent due to poor feedback from one of my clients. She had me work on three contracts. Every time she gave me poor private reviews. It wasn't like I delivered poor quality. Based on how much I was getting paid and the number of hours I worked It was a fair deal. Whatsoever, I am trying to make it up by working hard and delivering high quality work meeting deadlines. Last week, I completed an hourly contract and earned $16. The client gave me five stars feedbacks on Saturday, March 14. But, to my surprise, my JSS fell again on the following Sunday (actually it was Monday on GMT+6). Now, I would like to know if my most recent contract with positive feedback was adjusted to my JSS or, it takes some time for hourly projects to affect the Score. Thank you

bridge_oh
Community Member

I've seen my success score drop, which I believe impacts my ability to get hired. I've had all 5.0 reviews and one 4.6 and even though that's true, my score doesn't reflect it. 

 

This algorythm won't work for those of us who consistantly pick up small, but meaningful work to clients. 

 

If this is the way it is, you need to add more info onto the profile so the stats are accurate and clients can view it all and understandy why someone with all 5.0 reviews only has a 86% JSS. 

 

Today A LOT of us cannot go in to normal jobs and are relying on work from home opportunities to survive on and this is negatively impactng us. 

 

Clients see the JSS and think because its low that the work wasn't done succesffully. They don't know it's basedon bigger jobs. 

 

Please fix this so we all aren't losing clients over it.

JoanneP
Moderator

Hi Helal,

 

I apologize for the delay in replying to your post. This help article gives a detailed overview of how JSS is calculated and what may cause changes in the score when it updates. The recent feedback you receive is most likely going to be included in the next JSS calculation. 

 

I also encourage you to check this announcement with information about the recent update to JSS calculation. Because we are now weighing jobs with higher earnings more, if you received less than stellar feedback on one of those jobs it may have impacted your Job Success Score more. Thank you.

 

chelsea-okonkwo
Community Member

Hi, I am quite new to Upwork, I haven't been here for up to 5 months. I got my first JSS and it is 50%. I believe that there must be an error somewhere because I have up to 6 great reviews. Except there's something I'm missing.

JoanneP
Moderator

Hi Chelsea,

 

You may want to check out This help article to learn more about how JSS is calculated. I also encourage you to check this announcement with information about the recent update to JSS calculation. Because we are now weighing jobs with higher earnings more, if you received less than stellar feedback on one of those jobs it may have impacted your Job Success Score more. Thank you.

 

 

chelsea-okonkwo
Community Member
I got 5 star review on my biggest paying jobs. I really dont understand why
it is like this though