What I would suggest:
For world gen:
Generate the world with Short (or Medium) History. You want History to run long enough that some books have been written, but short enough that both goblins and dwarfs have healthy settlements on the map. You want a healthy parent civilization, so you can trade with them. You may not have iron ores when you embark, but will be able to trade with the dwarfs for iron or steel. You want a healthy goblin civilization, so you have someone to disagree with.
Choosing the embark site:
Do not worry about searching the world map for many things at once. Look at where the goblin and the dwarf settlements are grouped, then move the cursor around in the area between the dwarfs and the goblins, looking for a brook, some trees, some metals, and flux. A brook is less dangerous for your dwarfs than a river, because dwarfs will not drown or freeze in it.
You should not settle anywhere with a Tower as a neighbor. Towers are tough for newer players, since the only best defense is to lock the doors and hide until they leave. For similar reasons, avoid any purple stuff.
Having goblins as neighbors can be dangerous, but this also gives you an opponent for the future. You might need to lock the doors and gates when they come for the first siege, but when they come for the second siege, you might be ready to chase them away.
For playing:
By the end of spring, you should have built a depot.
By the end of winter, you should have a functioning raising gate, and some doors, know how to "burrow" your dwarfs behind those doors . This will allow your people to flee from anything you choose to avoid. Build some coffins, some of your dwarfs might be too slow.