Client Voices

Whether you are looking for a position or searching for candidates for your organization, I highly recommend Joe. He is professional, thorough, and fair in all aspects of the recruiting process.

Having worked with Joe, I have observed his exceptional ability to understand both the needs of the organization and the aspirations of candidates. He takes the time to ensure a mutual fit, fostering positive relationships and successful placements.

Joe's commitment to transparency and integrity stands out. He provides clear communication, sets realistic expectations, and offers valuable guidance to both clients and candidates. His approach not only fills positions but also contributes to building strong, lasting teams.

I can’t recommend Joe Lickteig highly enough. Thanks to Joe, I was connected with a fabulous opportunity that I never would have discovered on my own, and it turned out to be the perfect fit.

Joe has a rare ability to see potential matches from both sides, and he genuinely cares about long-term success. If you're looking for someone who will advocate for you, guide you thoughtfully, and connect you with opportunities that truly fit, Joe is exactly who you want in your corner.

I'm incredibly grateful for his support and wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again.

We have worked with Joe over a great many years. Not only is he effective at finding talent and assisting in presenting and communicating with them great options, he is simply one of the nicest guys we work with relative to recruiting. Without any reservation I highly endorse Joe!

I have partnered with Joe for over 10 years, and he remains my primary resource for talent. What sets Joe apart is the exceptional quality of the candidates he presents; he doesn't just fill seats, he finds long-term employees that fit our style and culture. He digs deep to understand the specific needs of a role and refuses to stop until he has found the perfect fit. I highly recommend him to any leader looking for a recruiting partner.

I have worked with Joe for several years now and he’s been absolutely phenomenal. He’s awesome person, extremely well connected and always has excellent opportunities. I’d highly recommend working with Joe!

Joe played a pivotal role in identifying not just one, but two exceptional professionals who became key contributors to the success of Next Level Education. Rather than relying on a traditional recruiting approach, he consistently thought outside the box—leveraging his extensive network to uncover talent we may not have otherwise found.

What truly set Joe apart was the quality of his referrals. They weren’t simply qualified candidates; they were individuals who came highly regarded and personally endorsed by respected professionals within his network. His ability to make thoughtful, strategic connections delivered immediate and lasting value to our organization.

I highly recommend Joe Lickteig, the owner of The Crossings Group, as one of the premier mortgage banking recruiters in the industry. Joe is an incredibly detailed and relentless professional, consistently going above and beyond to match the right talent with the right opportunities. His personal approach to client relationships sets him apart—he is fully invested in understanding both the needs of the business and the career goals of candidates. Joe’s deep expertise in the mortgage industry, paired with his commitment to delivering exceptional results, makes him the best in the business. Whether you're looking to build your team or take the next step in your career, Joe is the trusted partner you want by your side.

I had the pleasure of engaging with Joe and The Crossings Group on leadership opportunity in the Mortgage Servicing space.  Joe and team are thorough in their process of candidate vetting, ensuring quality of experience, and that the candidate’s and employer’s needs are aligned.  His focus, engagement, and continuous communication with parties engaged in discussions and an ultimate transaction is outstanding.   Joe and team specialize in the residential mortgage sector, and I highly recommend Joe and team.

Very thorough and comprehensive search process that provides results. Enjoyed working with Joe L., who always kept me informed on candidates and got the job done

Joe Lickteig and team have made a significant impact on the organizations I’ve worked in because of their candidate transparency, deep industry expertise and systematic search process. I look forward to the continued partnership

Joe Lickteig provided outstanding service for us in finding a really good Chief Lending Officer for our organization. I would highly recommend the Crossing Group in your search for Loan Department executive.

Joe & his team did a great job helping us recruit to grow our branch network. He’s a solid, trustworthy guy who busted his butt to deliver strong results for us.

Joe Lickteig is so good at what he does that it is almost unfair to label him as a recruiter. I have talked to him over the years as both a potential recruit and an employer, and found him to be the most informative, inquisitive and consultative talent acquisition guy out there. Joe is an effective and consistent communicator, and can help either side of the recruiting scenario analyze options and make great decisions.

Joe, Jim and The Crossings Group were an integral part in helping the branch network get started and grow. We all consider them just another member of our Veterans United family. If you are looking for a trustworthy partner to help in recruiting, you can’t go wrong with The Crossings Group. They have represented Veterans United very well.

Joe Licktieg is a well versed mortgage professional. He is exceptionally diverse, knowledgeable, trustworthy and is a well-connected industry coach, confidante and recruiting professional. It is without reservation, Joe earns my recommendation!

Joe with The Crossings Group was great to work with. Helping us with what we were trying to find was a tall order and Joe delivered. He stuck with it and found us some fantastic candidates that we went on to hire. Not only did he find what we were looking for, it was also just a pleasure working with him. He is a great guy and we enjoyed the relationship both personally and professionally.

I have found Joe’s Data base, industry knowledge and professionalism to be invaluable over the past 10 plus years.

Joe came highly recommended and after conducting several phone interviews of other executive search firms it was clear that The Crossings Group was our first choice. Joe spent time with me and key members of our management team to understand our need and our “story.” Joe clearly communicated during each step, provided multiple candidates for consideration, coordinated the interview process and then provided invaluable insight during the final stage of offer/negotiation. I felt a connection with him and that he truly understood our situation. I would not hesitate to call Joe again or recommend him to another bank.

Joe is a superb recruiter who helped me not only find high quality positions to apply for, but he was also able to prepare me for the interviews based on his extensive knowledge of the company as well as the people who were interviewing me. I highly recommend him to my peers in the industry.

I could not recommend Joe Lickteig and the Crossing Group any higher. In a business loaded with egos, demanding personalities and quite frankly, sleaziness, Joe is an oasis of calm and concern about doing what is right for the customer, even if to his detriment. I have hired multiple people through Joe and always appreciated his candor and feedback on industry knowledge. Developing that confidence in Joe made my time more efficient.

I highly recommend working with Joe. He was extremely professional and found the perfect fit for me.

Joe found me my dream job, I am so grateful and cannot say enough about his professionalism and knowledge when it comes to recruiting. Great experience!

Joe knows the mortgage industry well and was instrumental in helping to find the right leadership role matching my unique skills. He is very responsive and a pleasure to work with. I will highly recommend him to any of my colleagues looking for a new opportunity.

Working with Joe was not only a career changer for me but a happiness changer as well. Joe listened to my concerns and presented the employers that would best match my needs. Ultimately, he led me to my current employer which wound up fitting like a glove. He was genuinely interested in placing me in the right work environment with an employer that shared my values. He provided excellent guidance at every turn. I will always be grateful for Joe and would recommend him to anyone considering a change in their career.

I got to know Joe in early 2020 just before the pandemic hit. Joe lined up several phone interviews for me which resulted in face-to-face meetings with a couple different companies. The pandemic hit which slowed the process, but Joe continued to keep me updated weekly and set up new interviews. The search eventually came down to two different companies to choose from and I couldn't be happier with how things turned out. Joe was great to work with and I will definitely use his services again for future recruiting needs. I highly recommend Joe for anyone looking to hire or looking to be hired in the mortgage industry.

I have been working with Joe and his company for years now. He never disappoints me and always comes through for me. He was able to fill three top positions in less than 30 days. Very impressive, he does extensive background checks, references and screenings. Definitely does not waste your time and gets the right candidate for you. I highly recommend Joe’s services, he will exceed your expectations.

Joe knows the mortgage industry as well as anyone I have connected with in the past 10 years. He listens to his his client's needs and finds the perfect spot for their skill set. I have recommend Joe numerous times to leaders in the mortgage industry and I will continue to do so.

I have known Joe for over 10 years, and he has been and still is a phenomenal source of information and knowledge for everything related to recruiting top notch professionals. He is a friend, a colleague and most importantly an expert recruiter. His expertise, attitude and work ethic are beyond exceptional. Simply, he is amazing. I would recommend Joe to anyone for their recruiting needs.

Joe spends an incredible amount of time and energy getting to know everyone he works with. This depth of relationship translates to a clear focus and feels very straight forward with potential hiring partners. It is easy to see why Joe is in a league of his own with executive career mapping and match making. He is a rare talent in his field.

I recently engaged with Joe on a leadership role search he was conducting. My requirements as a candidate were unique. He was very professional in presenting this to the hiring organization. His patience throughout the process was impressive. I would highly recommend him on both the hiring and job search sides of the equation!

From the first call to the last Joe was a true professional. Most recruiters call with the same pitch and I typically decline but something was different about Joe. He took the time to learn as much as he could about me and seemed truly interested in post hire success, not just a sale. I would definitely recommend him!

Joe and his supporting staff at the Crossings Group have been an invaluable resource and partner. Whether you personally are looking for a new position or trying to find that right individual for your organization, they will get it done. Their professional approach and follow thru, even weeks after the agreement has been culminated, set them apart in the industry. That is a rare thing to find in this day and age.

Joe is terrific to work with...he is very honest and brings much creditability to any opportunity available. He and I worked together on a couple prospects recently and he really cares about you as a prospective hire as well as doing what's right for the employer. Great guy and would recommend to anyone who is need of a industry leading recruiter. Thank you Joe.

Thanks Joe for all your help. I appreciate the time you took in due diligence to see what our needs and wants were and matched them up with a Bank that was looking for the same. Obviously, we are only a few months into the relationship but it has been a great marriage for us and the bank. Thanks again for the insight and help you provided.

I have known Joe for nearly 15 years through the Mortgage Industry. Joe has always performed above task for me personally and in aiding additional growth in various markets. Always a professional and a pleasure to work with!

Joe taught me all I needed to know to be an effective part of his dynamic team of mortgage recruiters! He is able to coach with patience and care while creating an atmosphere that inspires his employees to give their very best and build a robust pipeline using their unique individual skills. Most important, Joe is just plain "good people" and mighty fun to work with!

I have experienced the true privilege of working with Joe and his dedicated team at The Crossings Group for more than 3 1/2 years now, and I highly recommend Joe and his company for your mortgage talent acquisition needs---as long as you don't take him away from me 🙂 Joe was my dedicated and only recruiting go-to during the creation of the Veterans United Home Loans Retail Branch Division. He and his team single handedly assisted us in one of the toughest ventures out there in our industry: To find mortgage talent that leads with Values first. They placed every single Branch Manager we have hired (over 20 markets), and they continue to assist in adding both branches to our growing network along with helping us find talented originators to add to our existing branches. He is excellent at reading skills and personality attributes and finding the perfect fit for your needs. He is thorough in communicating the needs of his client groups to the recruitee and setting expectations on both sides. His preparation and screening abilities are excellent which help create the win-win in the end for all parties involved. I absolutely love Joe & The Crossings Group, and would trust him to the fullest with your placement needs!

Joe is very good at his job as he pays attention to all the complex details associated with the job search. He is also does a great job at following up before, during, and after the process. I would recommend him.

Joe has been a trusted business partner in helping us find quality employees to grow our business. He continues to listen to our needs and does a great job presenting qualified candidates

I have found Joe to be the consummate professional. He is well connected and very hard-working. Even though I have not hired Joe, I have spent alot of time networking with him and interacting with him. His approach is very professional and extremely effective. I would not hesitate to work with Joe and would recommend him highly to any company needing some assistance with their talent acquisition.

Joe is the ultimate recruiter. He somehow intuitively knows when there is a good fit for both the candidate and the employer. No high-pressure sales and none of the BS you might get when someone is trying to recruit you. Joe is a straight shooter who cares about the people he is placing and he is willing to take the time to do it right. He spent 3 years working with me and in the end recruiting me to a company where I will probably still be working 10 years from now. Joe is someone you can count on to do what he says he is going to do. Highly recommended!

Joe is a consummate professional whose client relationship and organizational skills are exemplary. I worked with Joe in a training/mentorship capacity. Joe's management of his team and creative outside-of-the-box thinking helped Joe to develop a strong team of recruiters. I'm not surprised that Joe eventually went out on his own to form his own company and achieved success. I give Joe a big thumbs up!

Joe is by far one of the most talented "recruiting machines" I have ever had the pleasure to work with. Joe understands the big picture in the world of recruitment. He is methodical, thorough, and makes sure that all the details are covered. Finding hidden or passive candidates is the key to Joe’s success. He will locate talent that is not available through traditional recruiting sources. I would trust Joe 100% with any recruiting engagement I personally would need to have filled. As a side note, Joe is also down to earth, likeable and makes the process of finding critical talent fun. I HIGHLY recommend Joe to anyone how is in need of strong talent!

I have worked extensively with Joe to build my business. Joe is an excellent recruiter who knows his market well. Joe has always produced results for Mortgage Managers!

Joe was an utmost professional and was able to orchestrate a very equitable package and position for me with a top 3 national lender. He is well-known, well-connected, but most importantly well-respected in the industry and I would highly recommend any company or any individual to work with and through Joe and The Crossings Group.

I am beyond grateful to Joe for his unwavering support in helping me secure my current role. Over the course of 20 years, Joe consistently stayed in touch, showing thoughtfulness, persistence, and a genuine interest in my career. His patience and attentiveness to my needs were evident throughout the process, and he truly listened to what was important to me in a job.

Thanks to Joe's dedication, I am now in a position that is not only a perfect fit professionally but also allows me to be closer to my family. I'm thrilled to be working with an incredible team of mortgage banking professionals, and I owe much of this to Joe's hard work and guidance. I highly recommend Joe to anyone seeking a recruiter who truly cares and goes the extra mile! God bless you Joe.

Joe is a professional and dedicated recruiter that will take the time to understand the candidates that are really the right fit for your organization. A Mortgage Boutique is thankful for the relationship we have with Joe and the account executives that he has placed at AMB.

I had the opportunity to work with Joe in 2024. He had heard that my bank might be looking for a senior level position and had someone in mind that might be a good fit. It didn't take long to learn that Joe knew his candidate very well and what were important priorities. Joe did a wonderful job at vetting my company and the interested candidate to help determine if this would be a win/win combination. I also appreciated Joe calling references and having a great amount of information about the candidate that I was able to review ahead of my first phone call with them. All in all, Joe was a timely and thorough communicator. He gave me space to share what I was looking for and did a great job helping me evaluate the areas of agreement and the areas to overcome. I would have a lot of confidence reaching out to Joe the next time I am looking for a key mortgage position for my bank. We have been very pleased with Joe's process and, of course, the results we have had after hiring the candidate. He has been a great fit for our organization. Thanks Joe!

Joe was absolutely amazing to work with. He took the time to have several phone calls with me, really listening to what I was looking for. He went above and beyond to find the perfect fit. Even when I initially resisted some of his recommendations, he was patient and supportive, allowing me to explore all my options before ultimately returning to his original (and spot-on) suggestion.

His professionalism and attention to detail are second to none. I would highly recommend him to anyone seeking assistance in navigating opportunities in the wonderful world of mortgages.

Joe was a pleasure to work with. He really helped me through the process of transitioning to a new company and position.