113 wrote:
I do some sort of "group project" literally every single day of my career. Most of the people I know are in similar situations. Coordinating and cooperating with people is difficult, but it can also be rewarding. Regardless, it's an integral element of the 21st century workplace. It would be very strange to undergo 12 years of education without being exposed to this fundamental aspect of work and social interaction.
This.
Ultimately, the technical skills and academic facts/theory you lean in school are going to be ubiquitous within your discipline. Unless you are a legitimate genius, the main thing that will set you apart as a young professional is your ability to coordinate groups and communicate effectively.
Everyone in my field has a basic K-College education. Not everyone in my field can organize all the moving pieces of a complex closing that involves contractors, architects, equity providers, lenders, and multiple attorneys. If I tell an employer that I learned to use Excel in college and that I am a good financial modeler, he's going to say "Great. I have 120 applications from people who can say the same thing." If I tell an employer that I have the proven management skills necessary to close a deal, he's going to ask me when I can start.
If you don't learn to work well within a group atmosphere while you're in school, you aren't going to be effective in most professions.