With 2013 approaching quickly, many begin to wonder what the New Year will bring. 

I recently asked a number of experts what changes 2013 has in store for HR technology. Here’s what they had to say:

Will 2013 Be The Year of Video Interviewing? A Growing Number of Companies Think So!
Recently, a survey by Office Team found six out of 10 companies are embracing video interviews in the hiring process. It’s clear that going into 2013 this number is likely to grow as more and more companies learn the benefits of using video in the hiring process. Online video can help cut down the cost of travel, save time, and help employers get to know candidates on a more personal level earlier than in the traditional process.

-- Josh Tolan, Spark Hire

Shift to Free Agent World
As we move into a free agency world, the role of job seeker will shift. Rather than applying to open job descriptions written by companies, job seekers will be much more like the roles of a sales person, providing solutions to companies that are facing challenging problems and opportunities.

-- Joanna Riley Weidenmiller, 1-Page

Move to the Cloud and Constant Updates Changing the Pace
HR technology is changing fast, and moving to the cloud. Major HR software firms such as SAP and Oracle have acquired cloud-based HR software providers, WorkDay is gaining momentum, and they are all updating their platforms several times each year. Customers must adapt to this change in pace to take advantage of the latest HR technology.

-- Steve Bogner, Insight Consulting Partners

After a Year of Acquisitions, 2013 Will See an Emergence of Next Generation of HR Tech
We've just come off 12 months of major consolidation in the industry, with the largest players being absorbed by the likes of SAP, Oracle, and IBM. 2013 will mark the emergence of the next generation of HR Tech leaders. As a result of the declining cost of building and deploying commercial software, these emerging HR tech companies will be lean, user-experience focused firms with pricing models that would have been unfathomable just five years ago. They'll deliver huge value to their customers, and everyone will be better off for it.

-- Adam Robinson, Hireology

HR Will Use Consumer Tech For Performance Management
In the New Year, HR will begin to leverage consumer tech to optimize employee performance, with technology serving as a performance enhancer for professionals within an organization. From a performance management standpoint, rather than old top down performance process, HR will begin to leverage consumer tech (the Facebook “Like”) to support information dissemination regarding progress on work, and to help teams with collaboration, knowledge transfer, and concept development.

-- Cindy Lubitz, inTalent Consulting

A Social Renaissance of the Career Site
Career sites will be transformed into active talent communities as employers learn to connect with top talent on the candidate's terms. The best talent expects respect, transparency, and ease as they make critical career decisions. Only those employers that deliver an outstanding candidate experience at the career website will capture the best talent.

-- Matt Hendrickson, Ascendify

What changes do you anticipate for HR tech in 2013?

Heather R. Huhman is the founder and president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. You can connect with Heather and Come Recommended on Twitter and Facebook.