Once you've filled it, let it dry! overnight is usually best. Then rub it down gently with wet'n'dry, start with some rough stuff & then go to a finer sheet.
When it looks smooth, spray an acrylic primer (white or grey) & leave to dry, you will usually see that it has a few flaws still. Refill, resand etc etc and eventually you'll end up with no joint line. You will then find that you have rubbed out the panel lines that need to go across the top/bottom of the fuselage, There are lots of threads on the forum for scribing if you haven't done that before.
Yes, it's worth all the trouble, there are very few aircraft that have a joint line as on the average model kit, though a couple of Messerschmitt's spring to mind!
Good Luck & welcome to the forum
Pete