Do Potential Future Administrative Staff Possess Personal Traits Contributing to Innovations?: Evidence from the Czech Republic

This paper explores the psychological profile of university students who express an intention to pursue careers in the public sector. Drawing on theoretical insights from organizational psychology and public management, this study focuses on four traits linked to creativity and innovativeness: openness to experience, curiosity, creative self-concept, and growth mindset. Using data from a structured survey and binary logistic regression, the analysis reveals that openness, curiosity, and a growth mindset significantly predict interest in public service, while creative self-concept has a negative effect. Demographic variables, such as gender and year of study, showed no significant influence. The findings challenge common assumptions about the sector as a rigid and innovation-averse environment, instead highlighting the potential of incoming public servants to drive change, if systemic conditions allow.