Poll

There are several possible paths. For example OS development (C/C++) do not use the same languages as web development (Python / PHP). Then we have many companies running apps made in Java internally.

If I would want to maximize my chance for getting employed as a programmer I would do the following things:
1. Learn myself functional programming because:

• Functional programming is appearing in almost any programming language nowadays. Even C++ has been adding lambda functions.
• With functional programming you get often shorter and more easy to read code. You simply become a better programmer by knowing it.
• Less bugs.

2. Pick a non-functional programming language according to the field I hope to work in.

My personal choice would be to learn Clojure and Java. Clojure is running on the Java platform, so it works well together with pure Java. This would allow you to write part of you programs in Java and parts in Clojure.

Regardless if one likes Java or not, it is not going to disappear that fast as many business apps are written in Java. Then we have the whole Android system running Java. Many enterprise websites are served from Java servers.