It’s surprising how many engineers I talk to today have never linked, nor ever tried to link, an external library in a c/c++ codebase.
Most languages today come with their package managers, but trust me, linking an external library, placing it in the codebase, and making sure it links and builds well, does give you a kick.
If you have some time to spare, give it a shot. You’ll love it, or you’ll hate it, either way, you’ll learn something interesting.