As far as professions go, I always embark with 1 dwarf who has favorable preferences as a dedicated leader to be my noble. Ideally, they'll also be sociable so they actually become mayor when that arrives. As far as skills go, that one starts with 2 appraiser, persuader, judge of intent, negotiator, and consoler or pacifier, and basically serves as an early broker. My second dwarf is usually a proficient armorsmith and weaponsmith, as I bring bronze ores to make equipment on embark to save points. Third, a doctor, with 2 points in each of the 5 medical skills. If I have points remaining, I go with a mason/building designer, wood burner/furnace operator, and finish off with 2 dwarves with 1 point of Ambusher each (free hunter gear).
I try to embark with at least 120 drink and 60 food, an iron anvil, and enough ore and wood or coal to make 6 bronze items off the start. I don't embark with tools (that's what the bronze ores are for). I also usually embark with extra wood, one of each seed, and some spare spider silk thread and cloth for early health care if necessary. I'll embark with more bronze if I can spare the points. I usually only take 3 dogs for animals, but in my last embark I took cave crocodiles instead... Probably won't do that again, as it slowed down my embark too much to get the points.