College seniors are anxious about their job prospects after college, but they're taking action now to set themselves up for success.

A majority, 57%, of rising seniors are pessimistic about their future job plans — up from 49% last year — according to a new report from Handshake, the college career resource, based on responses from 1,925 students from the class of 2025.

Rising seniors say the tight job market is the No. 1 reason for their pessimism. Job creation is down across the country in many industries, especially among entry-level roles.

As a result, students are being strategic about their job search. Here are the top four ways students are trying to stand out from the competition in the labor market:

1. Attend career fairs and networking events (68%)
2. Apply to more jobs (63%)
3. Work part-time senior year (62%)
4. Pursue an internship (61%)

How to stand out at a networking event

It's a good idea to go into a career fair or networking event with a solid strategy, says Christine Cruzvergara, Handshake's chief education strategy officer. Given that everyone in the room will be putting their best foot forward, Cruzvergara says to prioritize being focused and researched on your top companies.

Identify the top five to 10 employers you're interested in, and for each, "make sure you've done research on their companies, what they stand for, what issues or topics they really focus on," Cruzvergara tells CNBC Make It.

"Look to see what roles they're recruiting for so that you can talk more knowledgeably about those roles. Look on their websites or on Handshake to make sure you've actually read the job description," she adds. "That way, when you meet the representative or the recruiter at the table, you sound knowledgeable, and you're asking better questions than perhaps the other student who goes up and just says, 'Tell me about what you do.'"

Don't make this common networking mistake

After more than 10 years attending career fairs, Cruzvergara says the most common question students ask is a big mistake: "What do you guys do, and what are you recruiting for?"

Doing so wastes precious time with a recruiter who's likely answered the question over and over, whereas introducing yourself, your skills and your interest in what the company stands for or who they're hiring for leaves a strong first impression, Cruzvergara says.

Instead, consider this brief script: "Hi, I'm [insert your name here]. I'm a senior at [X university]. I'm really interested in your role in X, Y and Z, and this is how some of my experience might be able to be a good fit for that."

"All of the sudden now the recruiter is like, 'Wow, this person has really done their homework. They're on top of it. They're telling me how their experience connects to this position. We can have a real conversation,'" Cruzvergara says. "That changes the game right there."

This strategy doesn't apply just to career fairs — use it for networking events, panel discussions or "any type of career event your school is hosting," she adds. "It is an opportunity to do your research so you can ask more educated questions."

Simply showing up and asking educated questions makes a huge impact on employers, Cruzvergara says. Make sure to get the recruiter or your new contact's information so you can send a follow-up thank you email or LinkedIn message, Cruzvergara says: "These are all little things that a student can do along the way that show your interest and help you to stand out with an employer."

Want to land your dream job? Take CNBC's online course How to Ace Your Job Interview to learn what hiring managers really look for, body language techniques, what to say and not to say, and the best way to talk about pay.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.