Final answer:
GS stands for General Schedule, which is a structured pay scale for civil servants in the U.S. federal government. It ranks jobs from GS-1 to GS-15 based on required skills, experience, and education, and reflects pay progression through grades and steps within the service.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term GS in the context of civil service stands for General Schedule, which is a pay scale for federal employees, particularly civil servants. This system stratifies the standards, skills, and experiences required for the various civil service positions into grades ranging from GS-1 to GS-15, with each grade having ten steps that reflect increasing pay as employees gain seniority and experience. The progression through these grades and steps is predominately based on the merit system, which emphasizes ability and performance over political affiliation. Entry-level grades such as GS-1 and GS-2 require minimal education and skills and hence offer lower pay, whereas positions at higher grades, from GS-13 to GS-15, require significant specialized experience and education, rewarding civil servants with the most compensation.
Positions are typically filled at the first step of the applicable grade, and employees can move up in steps over time, given satisfactory performance assessments. This provides a clear career path for those in civil service, allowing for potential growth through the grades in their specific career fields. Opportunities for employment within the vast U.S. bureaucracy are numerous, covering different fields and requiring diverse backgrounds, indicating the presence of a large merit-based system within the government structure.