Analyst Job Cuts, Pay Squeeze Upend Wall Street Equity Research

Jerry Diao had all the makings of a successful Wall Street analyst. A degree in statistics from UC Berkeley. An MBA from NYU. And a job in equity research at a big bank covering Silicon Valley tech stocks.

But instead of a life of market-moving stock calls, six-figure bonuses and glad-handing execs on another great quarter of earnings, these days, Diao plies his trade on social media, dishing out advice on the finance industry. On YouTube, Diao goes by the nom de guerre “Richard Toad,” and until recently, he masqueraded his irreverent takes behind an avatar of Shrek.

It’s been ...