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[Derakon]

I don't see any point in putting points into skills that don't have quality outputs, e.g. woodcutting, tanning, furnace operating, even the basics of engraving, as you'll learn more through the preparatory smoothing than you would at the embark screen anyway. Dwarves inherently know how to do everything, so there's little value in putting points into something unless you really need the extra speed (mining) or quality -- in which case you should bump it all the way to Proficient. The only exceptions are Appraisal (you need at least Novice to see prices, but any more is pointless) and Judge of Intent (you need at least Novice to know how the trader feels, but any more is pointless).

[RPharazon]

I don't see any point in putting points into skills that don't have quality outputs, e.g. woodcutting, tanning, furnace operating, even the basics of engraving, as you'll learn more through the preparatory smoothing than you would at the embark screen anyway.

I often do little woodcutting, so that little speed boosting helps.
It ties in quite nicely with furnace operating, since I have custom reactions which are quite helpful and just remove time-wasting and make everything more efficient. Tanning is in anticipation of a catsplosion. Gotta make those clothes!

[Balistora]

My normal starting skills:

1. Miner/Admin
2. Miner/Mason
3. Building Designer/Mechanic/Blacksmith/Metalcrafting/Engraver/Furnace Operator/Wood Burner/Weaponsmith/Armourer/some other skill i know i left out (surprisingly this guy just hauls ALOt of crap from one end of the map to the other...untill the migrants arrive)
4. Woodcutter/Carpenter
5. Fisherdwarf/Fish Dissecter/Fish Cleaner/Animal Dissecter (i know i spelled "Dissecter" wrong)
6. Butcher/Cook/Grower/Herbalist
7. Trapper/Ambusher/Marksman

...and i can do all of this with 500 points plus all of the stuff I need to survive

[nameless]

I'm not sure if anyone is still reading after three pages of builds, but here's my theories and their reasoning....

miner (5), leader skills (5)
miner (5), armor (5)
stone craft (5), bone craft (5)
appraiser (5), negotiator (5)
grower (5), brewer (5)
mason (5), architect (1), misc (4)
carp (5), woodcut (5)

I buy one of each 2gp meat.  51 of each alcohol, no anvil, one axe, 4 dogs, 50 plump helmet spawn, 20 cave wheat, 20 rock nuts, 20 pig tail, several hundred logs, 10 bags and then spend the rest on turtle.

Here's some logic.  Armorer takes forever to build up, and armor is critical to long term survival, so spending a measly five training points on it to start saves hundreds of tasks later on. 

I never take more than one of each meat, other than turtle.  Turtle gives shells and bone, and it costs the same as regular meat!!!!  I do take 1 of all the 2gp meats, though, obviously.

I think I'm the only person that takes a dedicated trader in my buildout :-).  My thought here is simple.  I understand that trade skills build up fast, but to me, the first caravan is the most important one, and I want to clean it out. 

Here's my basic starting strategy.  My miners (having only mining enabled) begin by carving out my "food floor"  As soon as I have a big room ready, I drop a food pile, and the rest of the team carries the food in from the wagons.  Later, they'll clear growing plots as well.  Once that area is ready to go, they dig down until they hit rock, where they begin a dining room.  If I have a second soil floor, it becomes the crafting floor, and I clear out a huge stone stockpile (otherwise, I use the other half of the food floor).  I immediately put up a wood stockpile and start moving wood down.  Once most of the wood is moved and I have some stone piled, I build a carpenter and crafter shop.  I turn off all other labors on those dwarves and build nothing but wood bins and stone crafts until the caravan arrives!  The turtle lasts well into this time frame, and my farmer normally has a planted field of plump helmet by summer.

When help arrives, I dedicate a few growers immediately.  I also find a lucky peasant and make him a record keeper immediately, turning off all other labors.

I've found that the most fun I have early in df is cleaning out caravans, and so I focus on that goal :-)