Picking the right programming language to learn can give you a long and fruitful career; however, if you've chosen poorly, you could end up on the job hunt more than you like.

Luckily, there's a simple way to figure out which languages can be the most beneficial to master. Be wary of the hype and those shiny new languages predicted to be “the next big thing;” instead, pay attention to what we already know about programming languages. Here's a hint: look toward the platforms.

Hear more about what Dan Appleman has to say about predicting which languages will hang on and be used widely, and why learning languages isn't always the best career strategy in this video:

 

Get the full scoop on how to pick the right programming languages. Check out the full course on The Future of Technology Careers.